The Petals Scatter Now
by DMenace
Summary: Based on RWBY Volume 2, Team RWBY is back for their second semester and have more than just school work to deal with. The White Fang are growing in numbers, Roman Torchwick has a city running scared, and one woman is playing a deadly chess game where the winner watches the world burn. Can a team of first years led by a 15 year old prodigy stop them before only ashes remain?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Thief and the Butcher

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**(A/N: This story is dedicated to its creator, Monty Oum. Thank you Monty for creating such a wonderful show and so many characters for us fans to fall in love with. Your work has been an incredible inspiration for me that I could never thank you enough for. God bless)**

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The City of Vale was often called the birthplace of culture, and walking through its busy avenues it was easy to see why. Travelers from all across Remnant migrated to the city heralded as _'The Melting Pot' _to begin new lives and to feel immersed in its diverse people and rich culture.

Poets and artists came just for glimpses of Forever Fall, the northern forest that never shed its crimson leaves. Historians visited to see where countless civilizations had fallen before rising again like a phoenix from the ashes. And keeping the city and kingdom safe was Beacon Academy, the oldest and most prestigious school for training the next generation of huntsmen and huntresses to defend the world against Grimm.

To do that however, students would need the proper ammunition and luckily for them the '_Newly Re-Opened!' _banner being hung signaled the return of the _From Dust Till Dawn _dust shop which had become a favorite among its freshmen.

Hanging the banner was a wrinkled old man standing atop a wooden ladder nearly as ancient as he was. Occasionally a passerby would stop to see if the hunchback needed a hand but he'd simply wave cheerfully and shake his head. Others simply paused to see which antique would fall first but he'd been the only one not to flinch whenever a fleet of Atlesian airships flew overhead.

_Ironwood is at it again. _He would grumble to himself after every flyby. _The general always takes his military wherever he goes._

Although the shopkeeper was annoyed with the northern kingdom's airships in the skies of Vale he did feel a sense of security being in their shadow. Over the course of three months nearly every dust shop in the city had been robbed and its supply stolen. Even the Schnee Dust Company's armed bullheads, ships, and locomotive transports hadn't been safe.

It seemed everyone had been made a fool courtesy of public enemy number one, Roman Torchwick. Miraculously there hadn't been any casualties, and unless one counted what one particular girl with a red hood and scythe did to a handful of his henchmen there also hadn't been any injuries.

The only bright side the old man could see in his darkened vision was that the demand for dust had skyrocketed because of the shortage and he could charge an arm and a leg for even the lowest quality and still be the cheapest store in the city. He did however make sure that the girl with the red hood always received a discount whenever she and her friends came by, along with free copies of _'Weapons of Atlas Monthly' _and _'Advanced Mechanics Weekly'._

After finally getting the banner hung and giving the ropes one last healthy tug the shopkeeper made the slow descent to the ground mindful of his footing. Just as he began to relax something bumped the ladder and his left shoe missed the step completely. Luckily his aura wasn't as weak as his frail body as he landed on the ground with a grimace but not in any pain.

Looking up he saw the most exotic looking young woman with dark skin and green hair peering down at him with worried red eyes.

"I am so sorry sir." Her voice shook. "Are you alright?"

The shopkeeper smiled and nodded his wrinkled head before extending his hand so the girl with a mid-drift could pull him to his feet.

After apologizing profusely for several minutes the young woman rubbed the back of her neck and grinned sheepishly.

"Um, if it's not too much trouble could you please help me? I'm not from around here and more than a little lost."

He nodded being able to tell from her appearance she was originally from Vacuo the arid kingdom to the west of Vale, but that her accent was that of the eastern wetlands of Mistral.

"Thank you so much." She sighed in relief. "I need to find a bookstore but this city is making my head spin."

The young woman held out a piece of paper with '_282-27th'_ scribbled on it and he instantly felt sympathetic. It was difficult for outsiders to find their way around the City of Vale as every street was one-way and seemed to twist and turn, and her address was no exception. 282 was the address while 27 was the street. Every last digit designated a specific landmark the street led to and in this case the seven meant the road would eventually lead to the tower of the Cross Continental Transmit.

The shopkeeper once again nodded his bald head and pointed her in the right direction, and since by now he'd noticed the green pistols poking behind her back he also informed her how to reach Beacon.

"Just take any road ending with a two north and you'll find the academy. The roads are paved in yellow bricks so you can't miss it."

She brought her hands together and bowed in thanks, a common practice in Mistral but especially by the polite students of Haven.

"Thank you so much sir. You've helped me more than you know." Turning to leave and a smile crept up on her face as if she'd told a humorous joke.

With an extra bounce to her step she skipped around the corner but felt a headache come upon her as a familiar presence leaned against the brick wall. She tried to continue forward but stopped and turned as a throat cleared.

"I knew you were lost." A young man chuckled with his hands behind his head.

"Mercury," She sneered. "I will seriously pay you to shut up."

Making good on her offer she shoved a wallet full of lien against his lightly armored chest.

"That isn't your money." He patronized wagging a finger.

"No, but it could be yours for five minutes of peace and quiet." She said between her teeth.

The boy about her age seemed to consider the offer before shaking his head making silver hair fall around his matching eyes.

"Can't do it." He shrugged. "It wouldn't be right."

Grimacing she took the money out of the old man's decomposing wallet before tossing it in a nearby garbage can.

"Fine, more for me then." She stormed off muttering to herself while he watched her go.

"Whatever, you know you want me!" He called catching the attention of onlookers.

Detaching his slender body from the wall he used his taller frame and longer legs to easily catch up. Now walking side by side they passed dozens of stores and bouquets with young people drinking their morning coffee and carrying on conversations. Pleasant aromas filled the air attracting crowds to every shop causing the entire city to feel alive and healthy.

"So..." He clicked his tongue." How much further Emerald?"

"Just a few more blocks _Mercury_." She snapped growing tired of the question and repetitive use of her name.

"Uh, this place is so dull." He groaned.

She was also getting tired of his attitude.

"Really? I kinda like it." She eyeballed a Vacuon necklace in a shop window and made a mental note to come back later. "The weather is great, the buildings are beautiful, and the people are-"

"-doughy and easy marks for pick-pocketing."

"That's every city." She gave a cocky grin and put her hands on her hips as if looking for praise.

"Oh Emerald, master thief please spare me." He cowered. "Please don't take all the money I worked so hard for. I barely have enough to get by as it is and have four hungry children to feed."

Mercury mimicked the old man's rasp and hunched back as he covered his face in fear.

Unamused by her companion's antics, Emerald pushed past him to get to their destination as quickly as possible.

"You're no fun today." Mercury shook his head in disappointment before following.

Walking up a series of steps she glanced at the note once more before peaking in through the dirty window and what little she saw caused her red eyes to light up. Wearing a confident smile on her face she opened the door and was greeted by the friendly smell of paper. It was rare to find bookstores anymore so she cherished the moment taking her time walking to the cashier's counter. It wouldn't be around forever after all...

Unsure if the clerk heard her entering she rang the bell at the desk and waited patiently.

"Be there in a moment." A deep voice called from the back.

True to their word the storage room door opened and a large man appeared carrying large stacks of books in each of his arms. Keeping his back to the customer he read off the store's greeting he had no doubt memorized by heart.

"Welcome to '_Tukson's Book Trade'_, home to every book under the sun. I'm Tukson how may I-"

He paused as his sharp eyes noticed the exotic young woman for the first time. He set the books down and cleared his throat.

"How may I help you?" He asked sounding casual and much more interested.

"I'm looking for a book." She gushed. "Could you help me?"

A bell rang at the entrance and heavy boots stomped inside.

"That's funny because so am I." Mercury waved. "What are the odds?"

The clerk smiled at his new customer but sensed tension between the two and naturally shifted his tone.

"Can I help you find something sir?"

"No thanks, I know what I'm looking for." His voice seemed amused and the clerk's attention was brought back to the girl as she stood up on her toes.

"I was wondering, do you had any copies of '_Violet's Garden'_ in paperback?"

"Paperback _and_ hardback." He grinned. "Take your pick."

"Options are always nice." She mused while biting her lower lip.

"Would you like a copy?"

"No thank you, I was just curious. What about '_The Thief and The Butcher'_?"

"Got it!" Mercury called from the back. "It's even got pictures."

He slammed the book shut startling the clerk.

"Oh I know!" The girl exclaimed bouncing up and down. "Do you have '_Third Crusade'_?"

The tall man swallowed feeling his pulse quicken and his chest tighten.

"I, um, uh..." He stammered glancing between his customers.

Months ago the radical book supporting another faunus uprising had been in ample supply in his store, but things had changed and the copies burned.

The silver haired boy slammed another book shut looking worried while the girl still looked optimistic.

"I'm afraid we no longer carry that book ma'am."

"Wait, what is this place called again?" She asked cocking her head to the side.

"_Tukson's Book Trade_." He answered.

"And you are Tukson right?" The clerk gave a curt nod keeping his eyes on the young man in the back. "Then I take it you're the one who came up with the catchphrase?"

"And what was it again?" Her partner demanded.

"_Tukson's Book Trade_". The girl answered with a deep voice mocking him. "_Home to every book under the sun_".

"It's just a tagline." The shop's owner replied calmly.

"It's called false advertising!" The young man exclaimed. "And you really shouldn't make promises you can't keep Tukson!"

He flipped the light switch before turning off the window projections so they were left almost completely in the dark.

_Fine by me._ Tukson thought. _I can see you two just fine._

"We heard you planned on leaving." The girl drawled out. "Moving all the way to Vacuo. The White Fang wasn't too happy to hear that Tukson, and neither are we. You know who we are don't you?"

He nodded. "You're that _Witch's_ followers."

They glanced at one another sharing smirks.

"You're Emerald so that'd make him Mercury."

"Wrong!" The boy laughed. "She's the thief and I'm the butcher."

He held up the novel as if it were an ID but Tukson didn't seem impressed.

"You two do realize that we faunus can see perfectly in the dark right? You may want to rethink your plan."

"And you know we can smell you right?" Emerald answered holding the bridge of her nose. "You smell like a-"

Tukson snarled as his claws extended and he bared his teeth. Leaping over the counter he swiped for the girl's head but felt his hand pass through as if she were a ghost.

"Now!" Her voice cried from behind a bookcase.

The last thing Tukson remembered was a heavy boot striking him in the head and the sound of a gunshot.

A lifeless body hit the tile floor and Mercury stooped down to check on him. Not completely satisfied he raised his boot again and made sure no amount of aura could save him.

Stepping out of the shadows Emerald watched with a triumphant smile as her glowing eyes returned to normal. They seemed to mock the fallen faunus whose vision had seen her perfectly, but only seen what she'd wanted him to.

Content with their mission now accomplished, she opened the cash register and pocketed a handful of lien before turning toward the door holding the source of her headache. Feeling the warm sun on her skin again she took a deep breath as using her semblance even for a short time always made her dizzy and her limbs feel stiff.

Mercury walked out moments later reading the book in his hands essentially ignoring her. Emerald knew it must be entertaining if he was looking at it instead of her stretching. There was a reason he normally walked behind her after all.

"Souvenir?" She asked.

"Nope." Mercury showed her the cover. "It's _'The Thief and The Butcher'_. I just really like the pictures."

He slammed the book shut.

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**(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. ****"The Petals Scatter Now" is a pseudo-novelization of RWBY Volume 2 with a more serious tone that also expands upon its story while altering certain elements to keep things fresh. It also attempts to capture the spirit of the show and its characters as closely as possible which means there is no shipping, gore, cursing, or anything else that would not have been found in the first two volumes. Volume 1 is entirely canon in this story unless I or the story states otherwise. I also just want to say that I have the utmost respect for the creators and that all alterations are to simply tell the story I wish to tell. There will be many changes down the road and I hope you enjoy.**

**RWBY and the cover picture depicting the grave of Summer Rose belong to the late great Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth.**

**All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless)**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

RWBY's Are Red and JNPR's Are Blue

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The great dining hall of Beacon Academy was alive with activity as students filled their trays with a wide range of food before sitting down with teammates to enjoy a healthy meal together. It was all about companionship from sleeping in the same dorm room to sparing against each other with deadly weapons, it all had to be done as a team to build trust and teamwork.

At two tables however a somber mood was being shared by a few of their respective teammates and for a certain heiress she was too busy rubbing her temples to notice as another grape flew past her ear and into the gaping mouth of a large blonde.

"Grryuummm!" She gave a thumbs up to an orange haired girl who clapped her hands in delight.

She nudged the boy holding his tea in the palm of his hand sitting beside her who for once seemed fully awake for breakfast and was enjoying his partner throwing food at someone else for once. A tall redhead towering over them was in good spirits as she waited patiently to see which of the two hot heads would up the ante and figured it wouldn't be long before they started throwing water melons at each other.

Her own partner was lazily stirring his bowl of cereal but seemed to enjoy the show despite nursing a sprained wrist and a dozen other bruises. The partners had been training nonstop during the school break and it had taken its toll on him. While his swordplay had improved dramatically to the point he could almost hold his own against his amazon-like partner, he was still finding himself struggling to control his aura.

Sometimes her weapons would harmlessly bounce off his aura shield leaving him stunned and drained but fully intact, and others he'd fly across the arena gasping for breath and seeing stars while his partner apologized profusely. She had told him not to worry about his lacking powers but he was doing the exact opposite. The Vytal Festival was only months away and he was supposed to lead the undefeated Pyrrha Nikos along with heavy hitting Nora Valkyrie and her swift partner Lie Ren to the tournament finals, but couldn't see how when he couldn't even control his own aura.

_All the swordplay in the world won't help you if a gunshot sends you to the hospital. _

He sighed and from across from the table an heiress was having a similar dilemma as another grape barely missed her.

"Hey Yang?" Her polite voice asked.

"Yeah Weiss?" A mouthful of grapes answered momentarily disgusting the other girl, but unfortunately she'd grown used to the sisters' appalling table manners that had actually improved somewhat.

"Do you ever wonder why we're here?"

Another grape landed in her mouth and she thought about the question while chewing.

"We're waiting for Ruby to show up and tell us the plan for today."

"I know that!" She cried. "I'm not dense!"

"Then why'd you ask?" Yang's wry smile was full of food making the heiress' face turn green.

"Oh never mind forget I said anything." She grumbled.

Feeling defeated Weiss went back to picking at her salad worried about what _ingenious_ plan might be going through her partner's scatterbrained head. The last one had involved filling a few of the school's rocket propelled lockers with high grade red dust to create fireworks, which went about as well as one would expect. Perfectly according to Ruby and nearly killing them all.

Glancing out the window she recognized her kingdom's white bullheads flying above causing her to set her fork back down. While her partner's excitement about the tournament seemed to grow by leaps and bounds everyday so did Weiss' anxiety. Her teammates couldn't seem to understand that they weren't ready. That she wasn't ready...

Pushing her salad to the side she noticed an open black journal with a drawing of a rose. At first glance she assumed it was Ruby's symbol but looking carefully she realized the rose was wilting not scattering like her partner's. Below it was the drawing of a young man with his upper face concealed by a Grimm mask causing a chill to run down her spine.

She looked up and saw her feline friend Blake staring at the rose almost as if in a trance. Makeup was attempting to hide the deep shadows under her eyes but the lack of sleep was obvious, as was her lack of appetite.

Weiss cast her cold eyes back down at the boy with the Grimm mask associated with the White Fang before finally having to look away.

_It's probably better that I don't ask._

The monochrome pair had gotten along since coming to an understanding a few months prior and she didn't want anything to jeopardize their already rocky relationship. Although they didn't have much in common in the way of conversation they went out of their way to avoid the two topics that could instantly start a fight in the dorm. Blake's history with the White Fang and Weiss' relation to the Schnee Dust Company.

If the conversation ever got too heated someone would quickly change the subject and hope the two sides would go back to their opposite corners. They were roommates, teammates, sparing partners, and most of all they were good friends. Which is why Weiss gave her the liberty of privacy.

Yang on the other hand Weiss had learned didn't seem to understand what privacy was.

"Who's he?" She asked with her mouth full.

Blake closed the book and rested her hands atop of it. "No one. Just some notes for class."

"Uh-huh." The blonde muttered as she noticed the way she guarded the journal. "And would these notes have anything to do with the White Fang?"

_*twitch*_

_BOOOOOM!_

Everyone but the faunus jumped in surprise as a cloud of roses appeared out of nowhere and a giant binder was slammed against the table sounding like a gunshot. Since their gaping mouths were too stunned for words their hyperactive leader did the talking for them.

"Good morning team RWBY!" She shouted to the dumbfounded dinning hall.

Being able to hear a pin drop she coughed in her fist awkwardly.

"Sisters, friends..." Ruby paused pointing enthusiastically at everyone but when she came to the heiress her finger drooped and her grin seemed forced. "Weiss...

"Hey!" She shouted feeling slighted.

"I stand before you a changed huntress."

"Heh, this ought to be good." Yang rubbed her hands together in anticipation of her little sister's plan.

"In less than twenty-four hours we will return to the classroom where our enemy awaits."

"Grimm?" The heiress asked.

"Torchwick?" Blake raised a brow.

"Weiss?" Yang's quip earned her an icy glare but she was too busy now catching strawberries to notice.

"You all do realize I'm sitting right here?"

"Silence!" Their leader commanded. "Tomorrow we face an even bigger threat than Grimm, Torchwick, and Weiss combined."

"What is this _pick on Schnee day_?"

"No partner." Ruby posed dramatically and her cape shifted despite being indoors. "Today is the last day before school begins anew and we return to class. We will have homework, we have rigorous training in preparation of the Vytal Festival, but worst of all we will have hour long lectures from Professor Port."

At this revelation everyone groaned and covered their faces. Yang took it a step further however by beating her head into the table causing it to crack.

"But fear not for in this binder I have planned the best day ever!" As proof of her statement Ruby lifted the giant binder above her head and in barely legible handwriting _'Best Day Ever Activities!'_ was written in red crayon. Above them the words _'Vytal Festival Activities, Property of Weiss Schnee'_ had been marked out.

"Is that mine?" Its former owner hissed while everyone else snickered.

"As team leader I have commandeered the use of this binder for the good of team RWBY and it's allies." She flipped to page one. "We will begin by starting this day with a bang!"

"Good." The blonde jumped up. "Because I like to start my days off with a _Yang_. Am I right?"

She lifted her hand looking for a high five but instead received an apple to the face courtesy of Nora causing her to growl.

Ruby lowered her head as her smile faltered. "After today we'll be too busy going on missions and training for the tournament to have fun. I don't want there to be any distractions until then and thought _'The Best Day Ever' _would be a good idea."

Weiss shook her head looking at just the first page.

"I don't know whether I should be proud or terrified that you actually planned something like this out. Your last so-called _plan_ that actually worked involved a giant slingshot that beheaded a Nevermore."

Ruby crossed her arms. "_Operation: Fire Dragon_ was also a complete success." She argued.

"Yeah and we still have the scars to prove it."

Blake looked on as the pair continued to squabble and was unsure herself about the giant binder Ruby was now carrying like a trophy, and she completely ignored Yang as she grabbed her bowl of _'Pumpkin Pete's' _and sent it soaring at the pink haired girl only for it to miss.

"Hah!" Nora taunted.

"I think I'm going to sit this one out guys." Blake said to her leader's disappointment.

The heiress took her eyes off her deflated partner and on the reclusive girl and her journal.

"Sit out or no we should spend our last day together as a team." She took a deep breath. "And I can't believe I'm actually saying this but I agr-"

Whatever Weiss was going to say was cut off by a blueberry pancake covered in syrup striking her between the eyes.

The rest of team RWBY slowly turned their heads in shock at JNPR who all except Nora mirrored their expressions.

"Bullseye!"

When the pancake finally slid off her face onto the ground team JNPR felt chills as the cold, heartless eyes of the _Ice Queen_ looked straight through them. Picking up her salad she sent it flying at her target only for it to hit Nora's meat shield Jaune whom she had pulled by the tie to intercept the missile with his face.

"Ow! That hurt!"

"Ruby?" Weiss asked calmly. "Is there anything on your list about chopping down junipers?"

"Um no?" The caped-girl looked confused.

"Then add it, because team JNPR is going down..."

And then all out chaos ensued.

The smarter students ran for their lives never looking back at the friends they'd abandoned as there might not be anything left. The slower or more peaceful students futility attempted to stop the war between two teams but were quickly and mercilessly dealt with. A few even tried to join in but were no match for either powerhouse.

Eventually they all began running for safety except for two young men wearing Haven Academy lanyards who approached from the outside seemingly unfazed by the screams. The taller boy had blue hair and smiled confidently at every terrified female student who ran past while the other wore an open dress shirt and had a monkey tail.

"So we were fighting side by side against that bowler hat guy and I totally threw a banana at him."

"Nice." The blue haired boy said in response to watching several girls run past.

"I know right! And the best part is she's a cat faunus." The boy with the monkey tail quickly chewed his nails. "But that's a secret so you can't tell anyone okay?"

"Got it." His partner said for the thousandth time.

"And not a _'I'm going to tell Scarlet and Sage the moment Sun turns his back' _kind of secret. I'm talking secretive secret."

"Relax fearless leader." He rolled his eyes. "Her secret is safe with me."

"I just don't want to mess this up Neptune. No offense to you guys but the students here are the coolest."

"None taken." He agreed still watching the girls.

A student covered in lettuce was thrown through the window but they paid him no mind and simply stepped over him.

"I'm really excited for you to meet them so please be cool. You can be cool right?"

"Dude." He said clearly offended. "Look who you're talking to."

Neptune's trademark smile shined from all the hours he'd practiced in the mirror of his mom's bedroom.

"Okay good point."

The dinning hall doors flew open and their expectations of students studying and quietly eating breakfast were shattered upon seeing overturned tables, food covering the floor and walls, panicked students swarming past them, and something that was either ketchup or blood smeared across the ceiling.

For Sun it was the most spectacular thing he'd ever seen and was grinning ear to ear while Neptune on the other hand was wondering want kind of hell he'd stepped into at Beacon Academy.

A mountain of furniture had been piled up at the far end of the hall and a short, orange haired girl stood at the top.

"I'm queen of the castle! I'm queen of the castle!" She sang.

Below were her teammates with their arms crossed shoulder to shoulder staring menacingly at four girls on the other side of the massive room.

"Justice will be swift! Justice will be painful! It will be delicious!" The rallying cry of the caped-girl inspired her own teammates to charge the mountain and it's queen.

"Off with their heads!" She commanded her knights who began sending volleys of cereal, salads, and even watermelons at their targets.

"I got this!" Yang shouted as she created a path by punching the projectiles out of their way.

Once a clearing had been made Blake somersaulted over her head and charged Pyrrha and Jaune. The amazon easily dodged the faunus' swift kick but her partner wasn't so lucky. Jaune received a boot to the gut then an uppercut from Yang that sent him sprawling on his back.

"KO!" Ruby shouted.

"Jaune!"

Seeing her partner fall Pyrrha swore revenge. Grabbing two metal trays she forced the unarmed faunus to retreat before sending them flying at the girl who'd knocked out her friend. With ease Yang punched them down and pointed mischievously to her right.

Before Pyrrha even had time to react a cloud of roses appeared. Her wide eyes could barely follow Ruby as she rode a tray as if it were a skate board powered by her semblance, and the amazon didn't have time to brace for the impact as the metal tray shot into her sternum leaving her laying on the ground gasping for air.

Ren charged forward telegraphing an aura filled palm-strike but a small ice glyph appeared on the floor causing him to loose his balance and crash head first into a table.

Ruby gave her partner a thumbs up who returned it halfheartedly.

The _Ice Queen_ held a small vial of light blue dust in her hand and began preparing another weak glyph for the so-called _Queen of the Castle_.

Nora jumped off her mountain but not before breaking off a pole that held one of Beacon's flags and fashioned a makeshift hammer with a watermelon.

_What in the world? _

The impromptu watermelon hammer caught the heiress off guard and she would have been crushed by a powerful swing except that a flash of red jumped in front of her and was sent flying instead.

"Remember me Weiss!" Ruby cried as she hit the back wall.

Her partner nodded and the two squared off looking each other in the eyes. While Nora's had an unhinged and wild look to them Weiss' were cold and cunning.

Being ever so impatient Nora charged swinging her hammer for her rival queen's head but Weiss used the remaining dust to create an ice dagger causing the weapon to be deflected. The heiress lunged forward but the back of the hammer blocked her attempt and she retreated back.

Spinning her hammer as quickly as possible sparks began shooting out of Nora's eyes and again she charged the heiress whose semblence shifted the dagger into a shield but it shattered instantly causing her to fly across the hall.

_*thud*_

The back of her head struck the wall and would have hit it again if Ruby hadn't caught her unconscious partner.

Setting the fallen heiress down Ruby surveyed the battlefield. Jaune was still out cold while beside him Pyrrha was catching her breath. Ren's speed and aura manipulation was giving her sister's brute strength a fair test but she knew better than anyone that Yang had years of experience punishing faster opponents as no one could compare to her baby sister.

She turned her attention to Blake who'd replaced Weiss in her fight against swing happy Nora who seemed far too happy destroying everything in her path including the faunus' shadowy lookalikes.

_*ggrrssshhh*_

Everyone turned as Ren's body was laying in a crater as Yang blew on her smoking fist.

"Ren no!" His partner screamed as she charged the blonde.

Yang smiled and readied another right hook. Just as it seemed she would connect again Nora's hammer swung around shooting pink sparks in every direction and on impact with the blonde's chin the watermelon exploded and she was sent flying through one of the floor to ceiling windows.

Smiling at her small victory against team RWBY's juggernaut Nora feeling exhausted forgot about Yang's partner and was sent flying herself by a kick to the back of the head.

Her going down however was just the distraction Pyrrha was waiting for. Using her semblance of polarity she had amassed all of the stray cans from the vending machines and sent them soaring so heads had to tilted just to see them all.

Blake could only watch in horror as the swarm of aluminium was sent her way and barely had time to brace her aura shield as the cans forced her into the back wall where landed face down beside Weiss.

Ruby being the last member of her team standing saw she still had a wobbly Nora and now Pyrrha to deal with, while Jaune looked as though he was seeing stars trying to help up Ren who was only occasionally twitching.

The caped-girl took a deep breath imagining this as the Vytal Festival and knew what had to be done.

_This one is for you Mom. _

Ruby activated her semblance and braced her muscles for what was about to happen. She disappeared in a cloud of rose petals and began doing laps around the dinning hall running faster than she ever had before. A violent gust of wind began blowing and she reached out with her aura to her surroundings. Pyrrha's aluminium weapons along with plates of food and even tables began flying in her hurricane of destruction and soon the queen's castle became more like a mountain.

Team JNPR grabbed hold of each other but the wind caused their feet to leave the ground and they hit the back wall along with the storm's debris becaming lost under the rubble.

From atop her mountain Ruby was on her knees breathing heavily and watched her teammates slowly getting to their feet. Weiss was holding her head and Blake was on shaky legs but they seemed intact. Yang was making her way through the window she'd broken and showed signs she'd landed in a tree as she had a bird's nest in her hair.

The blonde glanced around the destruction and finding her sister she frowned.

_You're not supposed to go that fast Rubes. We have a deal._

The caped-girl reading her thoughts ignored the silent objection instead focusing on her aura to heal her muscles as quickly as possible. She didn't feel any tears or pulls but knew her sister was right.

_*clap* *clap* *clap*_

Sun started applauding and demanding an encore while beside him Neptune was covered in grape soda looking murderous.

The doors opened and despite the warm day a chill went throughout the dinning hall.

"What is the meaning of this!" Professor Goodwitch shouted.

"They did it!" Sun and Neptune cried pointing at the two teams.

"JNPR! RWBY! Here! Now!"

Blake, Weiss, and Yang appeared in front of her with JNPR only seconds behind. Their sister team was covered in a dozen different kinds of soda but their fear of the school's combat instructor brought them out of their daze and to attention. A moment later Ruby trailed behind taking deep breaths looking exhausted. Yang took position by her side letting the girl lean against her slightly for support.

"Look at what you've done." The professor said gritting her teeth.

The teams looked at the battlefield not believing the mess they'd created. Broken tables, food, and spilled soda covered the entire dining hall and they immediately felt ashamed for going so overboard.

"There are training rooms you may use if you desire to kill each other." They jumped as she pulled out her riding crop. "Now stand aside."

They moved out of her way as a purple glyph appeared around the professor. With the slightest flick of her wrist the mountain was toppled, tables began repairing themselves, and the garbage cans began to fill.

The first year students watched in amazement of the awesome powers of a full fledged huntress. Her eyes glowed purple like the glyph and the air seemed to stand still as even Ruby's cape halted.

_I'll be able to do this someday_. Weiss thought to herself. _We're both dust users who specialize in glyphes. Purple dust is the rarest kind but it gives control over energy and matter, but it takes an immense amount of aura to use. _

She swallowed._ I probably couldn't even lift a table much less repair one._

Once the task was done and the glyph dissipated the students stood in awe with their mouths hanging open, all except Ruby that is who applauded and demanded an encore. She even asked for an autograph.

"Why thank you miss Rose." She wiped the sweat off her brow. "Now let us discuss your punishment."

A collective moan came from the teams but no one argued.

"That will not be necessary Glynda." A friendly voice called out. "I'll handle it from here"

"Professor Ozpin!?" The students gasped at the rare sight of seeing the headmaster outside his office so early in the morning.

"Hello children, I see you have made a mess of my dining hall." He noted while favoring his cane.

The teams began apologizing but were met with the raised hand telling them he wasn't finished.

"Say no more, I understand. The reason for this exhibition was to prove yourselves ready for the Vytal Festival. You may have gone a little overboard but I can see your reasoning. I don't see the harm in a little friendly competition." He winked at his students.

"But that's not what ha-" Ruby choked as she received an elbow from her sister.

"That's exactly what happened!" Weiss said loudly for everyone to hear.

Their leader might be oblivious but her teammates weren't.

"Well I should say the eight of you would do well in the Festival if this room is any indication. You also put every other team of Mistral, Atlas, and Vacuo on notice." He cocked his head back to the crowd of foreign students peeking through the doors then at Sun and Neptune.

"Although Beacon has had the most victories in the Vytal Festival the other academies have never taken our first year students seriously. After all we've only had one freshman team win the tournament in its long history."

Ruby's face beamed as she knew which team he was talking about and felt her sister's semblance warming her.

"But I plan on changing that this year." He looked back and forth between the surprised teams.

He was giving them his vote of confidence and only Nora had the sense to speak.

"Yes sir!" She saluted.

"Very good. Now as for you two," The headmaster put his hands on the shoulders of the two young leaders. "I want the both of you to study this battle and see what your teams' strengths and weaknesses are."

He pressed a few buttons on his scroll and in seconds the leaders' own devices let them know they'd received messages.

"That is a recording of the battle from the dining hall cameras. I would suggest you watch it."

He set his eyes on Jaune who was conflicted as it had been his team that lost which meant they were his mistakes.

"Do not take this loss to heart young man." Ozpin said sympathetically. "There is more to be learned from failure than there is from victory. Take it from a man who never won the Vytal Festival. I believe in you Mr. Arc which is why I _personally_ accepted you into my academy. Its not everyday someone enters as you did."

Ozpin looked him straight in the eye causing Jaune glanced down at his shoes.

"Now children," He released the leaders and used a handkerchief to wipe grape soda off his hand. "I must get back to my office. Good day."

The headmaster turned and began making his way back to the Emerald Tower and the students began whispering about how cool the professor was being.

"Oh and by the way." Ozpin turned his head and grinned devilishly. "If you wish to get some sleep tonight then I suggest you hurry. Someone spilled grape soda all over my dining hall and even got some on the ceiling. Also there is the matter of the broken windows."

The only response was the open mouths of RWBY and JNPR, and Sun laughing.

"It will take some time and coordination so I'm leaving Mr. Wukong and Vasillias in charge of this operation. Is that okay with you two?" Sun nodded then forcefully made Neptune do the same.

"Good. The cleaning supplies can be found down the hall to the right. Professor Goodwitch could you escort me please?"

"Of course sir." She nodded.

"Good day children."

And with that both professors left the troublemakers to finish cleaning their mess. Sun had already found a place to observe while Neptune went back for a change of clothes.

Ruby felt as though her soul had been crushed being unable to finish the _'Best Day Ever Activities'_ from her binder.

"Just be thankful we didn't get in bigger trouble." Weiss chided. "Let's just be done with this so we can actually get some rest tonight."

"Yeah I bet you're tired after I sent you flying with my hammer." Nora laughed and was met with a sponge to the face.

And round two began to the delight of Sun.

"Best school ever!" He declared.

* * *

Ozpin leaned against his cane as he pressed the button to ride the elevator to his office.

"I can't believe you let them off like that." Goodwitch huffed.

"Hmm?."

"They're supposed to be the defenders of the world." She sounded more saddened than she did angry.

"And they will be Glynda, but right now they're just children so let them act the part. They don't have many days like this left so let them enjoy it while they still can."

Goodwitch nodded reluctantly. She remembered what it was like to be a first year without any missions under her belt.

"Ironwood will be here soon by the way." Ozpin said changing the subject and also his tone of voice. "He wishes to take us out for lunch."

"Wonderful." She rolled her eyes. "You two have a pleasant time. I will be busy preparing children who play with their food to become the huntsmen and huntresses of tomorrow."

"Fair enough but you're going to at least say hello. He will be stopping by my office for a quick chat." There was a glimmer of amusement in Ozpin's eyes.

"Fine I'll say hello _then_ I'll be on my way."

"Perhaps that's best. We wouldn't want another food fight during lunch. On the other hand it may lighten the mood..."

She glared at him.

"Don't even think about it Ozpin."

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. The food fight was a lot of fun for me to write and I hope you enjoyed the more serious approach taken. I also wanted to explain purple dust to some degree and show some of Weiss' insecurities. Being the support fighter on a team like her's can't be easy especially when she originally saw herself as being their leader and likely their heavy hitter. Once again thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed the first of many action scenes. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless)**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Atlas Holds the Sky From Falling

* * *

Standing high above the rest of Beacon Academy Professor Ozpin gazed out the ceiling to floor windows of the Emerald Tower. What he saw disturbed him and his companion Glynda Goodwitch. On a clear day the Isle of Patch could be seen from the clock tower and today was such a day, or it would have been if Ironwood's airships would finally land. Bullheads filled the sky even though the transport ships had dropped another batch students and teachers off an hour earlier. Intermingled with them Glynda had spied dozens of soldiers on campus and was not pleased.

"Ironwood certainly enjoys taking his work wherever he goes." She said visibly irritated by the general's actions.

"Well running an academy and the military makes him a busy man." Ozpin seemed to be trying to convince himself. "But those A5 Bullheads are a bit of an eyesore. I'll speak to Ironwood about this. He should be here soon."

As if on cue a small electronic beep from his office scroll let the professors know their guest had arrived.

"Come in." Ozpin said casually and the automatic doors opened letting in a large man wearing a white suit.

"Ozpin it's good to see you." Ironwood boomed.

"Hello general." Ozpin said sounding more reserved.

"Please Ozpin drop the formalities."

The two men walked across the clockwork floor and shook hands.

"It has been too long Ozpin. And Glynda it has certainly been far too long." Ironwood reached out to shake the professor's hand but the offer was not taken. Glynda merely gave a halfhearted wave.

"Hello general, you are too kind." Her eyes narrowed before turning to Ozpin. "Now if you'd excuse me Professor I must get back to my students." She left the room and the two headmasters could have sworn she she had slammed the automatic doors.

"She sure hasn't changed." Ironwood commented.

"Perhaps she's feeling concerned due to all the Atlas security at my academy?"

"Well concern is why I'm here in the first place."

"James," The headmaster sighed and sipped his coffee. "we are at a time of peace. A show of power like this will only leave civilians with the wrong impression."

The general lightly tapped the clockwork desk with his right fist, and even though it had barely been a tap the sound of metal striking metal echoed through the room.

"You heard what Qrow said Ozpin."

"And if what Qrow said is true then we will deal with it tactfully and patiently. The Vytal Festival is a time of peace and unity between the four kingdoms. So I suggest you don't transport hundreds of soldiers across Remnant. It will only scare the public."

"I'm just being cautious."

"As am I old friend. Which is why we will both continue to train the best huntsmen and huntresses. We can't just scare the civilians with soldiers, robots, bullheads, and these new paladins."

"Believe me Ozpin, I am trying." He turned to leave but before the doors could open Ironwood had one more thing to say.

"But tell me this. Do you honestly believe your children could win a war?" His eyes narrowed and he looked twenty years younger, back when he fought side by side with huntsmen and huntresses, not now where he built and trained their replacements.

"I hope they never have to." The headmaster was firm in his convictions but sounded sad.

Ironwood nodded his head sympathetically. "I'll see you at lunch Ozpin. Perhaps we can even get Glynda to join us."

He let himself out and Ozpin was left with the sound of gears grinding and clocks ticking. For many the noise was enough to drive them insane. Ozpin looked at it the exact opposite. It drove the insane men sane.

To some degree Ironwood was right and Ozpin agreed. The more help the huntsmen and huntresses could receive the better. However he disagreed with the general's philosophy of the huntsmen and huntresses being trained so they could support the military.

_If you do not learn from history you are doomed to repeat it._

When Ozpin asked Professor Ooblek why he wanted to be a professor at his academy to teach history those were his exact words and was why he was hired. _North Star could use more professors like him. _He mused.

Ozpin sipped his coffee and finished his thought from earlier.

_I hope my children never have to fight a war because if they do they will have to win at all costs. Qrow said it, Queen has pawns..._

* * *

**The Old Industrial Site West Side of the City of Vale**

* * *

The shattered moon hung above the thief and the butcher as they entered the warehouse Torchwick and the White Fang had taken residence in. Dozens of men in Grimm masks and white uniforms loaded and unloaded equipment from bullheads. The airships couldn't haul large cargoes but they were heavily armored and surprisingly maneuverable. The twin auto-cannons also made the police think twice about following them.

Emerald and Mercury paid the workers little mind, they were just ants. They had their eyes set on the man in a bowler hat. He was hunched over a large map of Vale with a grimace on his face. Hearing footsteps behind him, Torchwick turned and greeted his companions.

"Oh look," He said pretending to be excited. "she sent the kids again. This is turning out just like the divorce."

Roman walked around his guests to give them a hug around their shoulders. He even tousled their hair to Mercury and Emerald's annoyance. Mercury made a sound as if he were going to barf.

"Spare us the thought of you procreating." The thief said as Roman was pushed away.

"That was a joke," Roman said sounding bored. "But this might just tell me where you kiddos have been up to today." He held up a piece of paper with an address written.

"What?" Emerald looked down at her weapon belt and saw the paper missing from her pocket.

"I'm a professional sweetheart pay attention and maybe you'll learn something." The condescending tone in his voice made Emerald reach for her weapon. His tone quickly changed to anger when he read the note. "Why do you have this?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." Emerald said smugly.

"Yeah I would, now where have you been all day?" He put the note in her face but Mercury pushed him back. He wasn't going to let a slime-ball try to intimidate Emerald like that.

"We were cleaning up your mess. Well one of them at least."

" I had that under control."

"Really? Because two packed bags and a ticket out of Vale said otherwise."

"Listen you little twirp if it were up to me I would take you and your little street rat friend over there and-"

"And do what Roman?" A woman's voice called out.

She was standing above from the cat walk. Her red eyes and dress burned in the shadows as if she were wearing flames. Even from a distance Roman could see his reflection in those dark eyes and he swore he could see himself burning . She never looked away as she rode the elevator down to the bickering trio.

Roman laughed awkwardly. "I'd uh, not kill them?"

"Cinder!" Emerald cried as she ran to greet her friend. Cinder paid her no mind and strolled past her to Torchwick and Mercury.

"I thought I made it clear that you were to eliminate the would be runaway Roman."

"I was going to but-" Roman sounded ashamed before being interrupted by Emerald.

"He was going to let him escape to Vacuo. Mercury and I decided to take the initiative and get rid of the rat. Erm, I mean cat." The due seemed pleased with themselves. Cinder thought differently.

"Did I not specifically tell you to keep your hands clean while in the city?"

"I just thought-"

"Don't think Emerald." Cinder held up a hand.

Torchwick smiled at the good child being scalded for once. He made the motion of a man having his throat slit behind Cinder's back.

"I think and you obey."

"Yes ma'am it won't happen again." Her eyes lowered as she could no longer look Cinder in the eye.

"Good. And you," Cinder turned her attention back to Roman who went back to smiling and laughing awkwardly. "why wasn't this taken care of sooner?"

Roman didn't answer. Instead he merely smiled and pointed to his left where four dozen boxes filled with solid dust crystals lay. Then he pointed to his right where a mountain of dust ammunition rested. Lastly he threw his arm out to direct their attention to the newly acquired Schnee Dust Company cargo containers behind him.

"Sorry but I've been a little busy stealing every spec of dust in the kingdom and running from Valeon police. And now because of our latest acquisition I've got the Atlesian military breathing down my neck."

"Your an inspiration to every crook with a gun and ski mask." Mercury mocked.

"Look around brat. I've got the City of Vale running scared. The police are camping around every corner, the price of dust has gone through the roof, and we're sitting pretty in an abandoned warehouse with enough dust crystals, vials, and rounds to start of war. Speaking of which," He said enthusiastically. "if you could fill me in on your master plan that would make my job a little easier. Remember the part about the Atlesian military?"

"Oh Roman have a little faith." Cinder put her hand across his cheek. "You'll know what you need to do when you need to know it." Her eyes glowed red and Roman could feel his cheek burn. He muttered a curse but reluctantly nodded his head.

"We have enough dust by the way." Cinder said turning her back to Roman. Emerald and Mercury nodded knowing their next step. Roman was the only one still in the dark.

"Okay then what is my next thankless job." He sounded bitter but Cinder paid no attention to his attitude.

"Mercury, Emerald, and I are moving forward. You and the White Fang will clear out. I'll send you coordinates and your assignment tomorrow night."

"Coordinates?" He didn't sound pleased. "Why do I get the feeling I won't be staying in a five star hotel anytime soon?"

Cinder turned and motioned for Emerald and Mercury to follow her. "You'll know when you need to know Roman." She turned and left with the duo flanking behind.

Roman muttered another curse before pulling out a cigar, but as he searched for his trademark lighter he heard it open in front of him. Emerald stuck out her tongue while dangling the lighter as if he were a dog wanting a treat. Just as he was raising his cane he heard Cinder's commanding voice call back.

"You're wasting time Roman get to work."

Emerald smiled and ran to catch up with her companions. It seemed she and Mercury had another souvenir to play with at Beacon Academy.

* * *

**(A/N: I changed the timing of this chapter a bit. I wanted Ozpin and Ironwood to have their conversation before Mercury and Emerald spoke with Torchwick. Sorry about no team RWBY I couldn't fit them in here. Next chapter will make up for that. I hope you're enjoying so far. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God Bless)**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Most Dangerous Game

* * *

From the great hall of Beacon Academy's library an epic battle was taking place. The participants were an heiress, a party girl, and a hyperactive red caped leader. They had a fourth companion too but she was too busy reading to pay attention to their game.

"Eat my scythe Ice Queen!" Ruby cried.

"No fair you cheated!" Weiss hung her head in defeat as the screen on her scroll flashed _Game-Over_ once again.

"Not so fast little sister, you still have Killer Bee to deal with.

"Bring it on."

The siblings' character avatars battled on their scrolls. Ruby's 'Rosie' fought Yang's 'Killer Bee' on a mountain top. Their characters looked like exaggerated versions of themselves with Yang's having hair that flowed to the ground and an outfit that left little to the imagination. Ruby's wore a superhero costume but a red cloak and hood covered most of it.

Yang and Killer Bee yelled in unison as Rosie landed another blow. Because of Rosie's speed she dictated the pace of the fight and Killer Bee couldn't even come close to landing a hit. Another long combo nearly drained all of her health but Yang didn't seem worried.

"Keep it up Ruby. With every hit Killer Bee just gets stronger. I'll be able to get a one hit knock out now."

"You'll have to catch me first and I still have my special left."

Ruby pressed a button on the top of her screen and Rosie began to glow white. She charged Killer Bee who raised her fist to punch Rosie's lights out but was stopped short by the barrel of Crescent Rose poking her in the chest. Yang saw a flash of light then her screen went black with _Game-Over_ written in blood. The blonde slammed her scroll down as her sister cheered.

"Alright! Rosie is still the undefeated queen of _World of Remnant_." Ruby stood on her chair bowing and was met with halfhearted applause from Team JNPR.

Pyrrha and Ren's applause were barely audible due to their respect for their fellow students in the library. Nora waved a small red flag with 'RWBY' written in black letters while looking tired. Any place would be better than a library to Nora. Jaune clapped but quickly grabbed his scroll and took a seat next to Weiss.

"Hey can I join in?" He asked.

"Sorry Jaune," Ruby said. "but we've already got four players." She pointed at Blake who had her scroll next to her book. It had _Game-Over_ written across the screen.

"But _World of Remnant_ can hold up to eight players."

"Yeah but we're making a list of things we need to work on for the next time we can get a training room to ourselves. I've been watching the footage from the food fight and thought we could go over some stuff in _World of Remnant_. Sorry but team members only."

"Besides Jaune," Weiss said with a wry smile. "_World of Remnant_ requires a tactical cunning that I seriously doubt you possess."

"Uh Weiss," Yang interjected. "you've fallen off of the cliff twice now."

"Well at least I haven't been destroyed by Ruby five times because I keep charging fist first against a weapon that's 6 feet long."

"Well you Ice Queen keep getting knocked out because you don't know how to pace yourself with such low aura." The teammates glared at each other.

"Hey we'll work on it." Ruby said calmly. "This is why we're here. We all have areas we need to work on. We'll figure this all out before the Vytal Festival."

The blonde and heiress nodded reluctantly.

"What's your weakness Ruby?" Jaune asked. It was hard for JNPR's leader to picture the caped-girl as having a weakness. He'd seen her slice the head off of a Nevermore and had felt the power of her semblance first hand.

"Ruby can't fight defensively." Yang said laughing. "She's pure offense which is great unless someone else sets the pace of the fight or if she is low on aura."

"Or if she has to defend a teammate." Weiss said coolly looking at Blake who hid herself behind her book. "Which is common because Blake refuses to play."

"This is a waste of time." The faunus said. "Why can't we just go to a training room or practice outside?"

"Because Blake we're first years." Ruby said trying to be the voice of reason. "We can't just borrow a training room whenever we want, and after the lunch room incident I don't think it's a good idea for us to train in non-training designated areas."

"Agreed!" Team JNPR shouted.

"I still think this is a waste of time." The faunus muttered.

Ruby gave her teammate a concerned look but decided to address her team instead of one insubordinate member.

"I signed us up for training room six on Saturday for the whole afternoon. I want us to work in pairs. It'll be Weiss and Yang versus Blake and I. I think this will be a good combination to hide our weaknesses. I also want to keep working on Weiss' haste glyph. It takes a lot of concentration, aura, and dust but it'll be really handy to have another speedster. Think you can handle it Weiss?"

"I've been practicing throughout the break. I can make the glyph last about three minutes but I have to have absolute concentration while it's cast or else it could backfire. And I'm still working on my aura." She averted her eyes from her partner.

"We'll figure it out Weiss." Ruby said reassuring her partner. "Your glyphs take a lot out of you and we understand. Your aura is already stronger than it was at initiation. I know you'll be able to pull it off."

"Thanks Ruby." Weiss said quietly.

"Like I said we all have weaknesses which we'll work on as a team. Now let's get back to Rosie kicking Killer Bee's and Ice Queen's butts." Ruby said grinning.

"No you won't and it's Snow Princess." Weiss corrected as her confidence returned.

"I never thought of using the _World of Remnant_ fighting game as a way to come up with tactics." Jaune said. "That's pretty clever."

"Thank you." Ruby beamed. "I came up with it at Signal."

"So I'm guessing there isn't any chance for Hero Arc to join the fight?"

"Sorry Jaune."

"Can you at least tell me where the secret key is on Vacuo level seven?"

"I don't know Jaune," Weiss said coyly. "can you keep a secret?"

"Of course I can. I've kept that secret you told us about Blake being a f-." Before he could get the word out Pyrrha had jumped out of her seat and covered his mouth.

"-Fun loving person whom we all admire and respect." She smiled confidently while everyone else had awkward grins plastered over their faces. All except Nora who was too busy drawing a purple giraffe.

Blake glared at everyone around the table. She was unhappy her friends had blown her secret already.

"Well I've got to go." Jaune said bowing out before someone killed him. He passed two Haven students doing so, one of whom he recognized as Blake's friend and decided to move a little faster.

"Hey losers." Her friend called out.

"Hello Sun." Ruby replied back.

"Ruby, Yang, Blake, Ice Queen. Nice to see you."

"Why does everyone keep calling me Ice Queen?" Her question was ignored for being too obvious.

"I never got to formally introduce my teammate." He pointed to the blue haired boy beside him.

"Aren't libraries for reading?" Was all he said.

"Thank you! Ren shouted to which he was hushed by his fellow students which greatly annoyed him.

"I'm Neptune." The boy smiled and waved.

"So Neptune," Weiss asked. "Where are you from?"

"Haven Academy and I'm sorry but I didn't catch your name."

"Sit in for a round of _World of Remnant_ and I'll tell you."

"Deal."

"Wow Blake," Sun commented seeing her scroll. "I didn't know you were a gamer, I always saw you more as a bookworm."

"I'm not." She closed her scroll and got up to leave. "Neptune can have my spot. I see you guys back at the dorm."

Ruby tried to follow but Yang grabbed her wrist. Her sister shook her head telling her this wasn't the place to hash out their team problems. Reluctantly the caped-girl sat back down.

"So where are we fighting at?" Neptune asked and all heads turned to Ruby.

"Anywhere but Atlas. She sighed. "The snow reminds me too much of home."

"But I thought Patch was a warm island. Does it really snow there?" Weiss asked.

"The northern part of the island is the Patchwork mountains which have snow year round."

"I didn't know you grew up in Patchwork." Weiss said surprised. "Weren't they overrun by Beowolves a few years ago?"

Ruby had taken center stage and looked horrified. She wanted to go hide in the corner and forget she had even mentioned Patchwork. Luckily her sister saved her.

"Hey guys, since Neptune is our guest from Haven let's give him home field advantage in Mistral."

Neptune smiled while Weiss scooted a little closer to him. The sisters caught each other's eye.

_Thank you._ Ruby mouthed.

_Don't mention it sis_. Yang mouthed back. _There is no way I'm putting you through that again._

* * *

**(A/N: Yay for hints at Ruby's back story. I really liked this chapter. Ruby is stepping into the shoes of a leader more and more while Weiss is trying to be the best partner she can be. Plus it has foreshadowing with the battle against the paladin which is important. Thanks for reading, I appreciate it. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this series possible. God bless)**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Paint it Black

* * *

All alone in the cramped dorm room Blake couldn't help but remember the conversation she'd had with Professor Ozpin the night Torchwick had tried to steal dust shipping containers. It had been in a small room at the police station with open windows to let in the cool night air. She had been dreading talking to the police chief so she was understandably surprised when the headmaster came down from his Emerald Tower to talk to her personally.

"Well this has certainly been an eventful evening."

Blake had been so lost in thought that she hadn't even heard the door open.

"I know you're tired after a night of thwarting robbery attempts but I was wondering if you and I could have a little chat."

The young faunus nodded. "Of course Professor."

"Wonderful." He said taking a seat across the table. "We both knew this conversation was going to happen sooner or later. Firstly I believe a congratulations is in order. You stopped a dangerous criminal from stealing an entire cargo ship worth of dust. Your face would be all over the news if I had not cued the police chief onto your situation."

"Thank you sir." It hadn't even crossed her mind.

"No need to thank me miss Belladonna. The police chief agrees with me that it would only make you a future target of the White Fang if we plaster your face all over the television." He winked at the startled girl. Ozpin was willing to misdirect the chief of police just to keep her secret. She was silently very grateful.

"I must ask you one thing miss Belladonna if you don't mind?" He had a certain twinkle in his eyes that made Blake feel uneasy.

"Um sure."

"How did it feel to be on the other side of the law for a change?" He leaned in forward trying to catch any reaction at all. Blake held his gaze with glaring eyes.

"That was a long time ago Professor."

"That was only a few months ago."

"I've changed."

"I can see that. How are you and miss Schnee getting along?"

"F-Fine." She stuttered. She wasn't expecting Weiss to be a topic of conversation.

"I understand the two of you had an argument last night."

"Yes we did, but we made everything right." She had no idea how he knew about their fight but shouldn't have been surprised. Ozpin knew everything it seemed.

"You mean she made everything right. As I understand it you ran away while your team searched for you all day."

Blake was too embarrassed to say anything.

"It seems as if the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company has forgiven you of your past deeds. But tell me, does she know that you are partially responsible for why she wears that scar on her face?"

This time Blake was too shocked to respond. She had never asked Weiss about the scar on her left eye but to think she was the cause of it was almost too much to bare. Blake had seen how Weiss avoided looking in mirrors and covered the scar with makeup so no one would see how bad it really was. The heiress demanded perfection and the scar was a constant reminder of how imperfect she was.

"I suggest you tell her before it's too late. Scars like these have a habit of festering." He paused to get his point across "Now tell me again miss Belladonna. How does it feel to be on the other side of the law?"

She took a deep breath as if it was her first breath in months.

"It feels good Professor. It feels like a weight has been lifted from my chest but it also feels like I'm running backwards to the White Fang."

Ozpin took a sip from his coffee.

"Do you remember our first conversation miss Belladonna?"

She nodded. "How could I forget."

"You said you wanted a clean slate and a new life. So I gave you a home, a future, and the chance to make new friends, but I wasn't giving you a clean slate. I was giving you the tools you'd need to make things right. At the time you were too busy running and full of anger. You didn't want redemption nor were you seeking forgiveness."

That pierced Blake through her heart. The faunus didn't want to admit she still held a grudge against humans. She had been raised to dislike them and so she did. During her time with the White Fang she had thought she was helping relations between humans and faunus. Blake could still remember the robberies, the fighting, and the fear of getting caught day after day. She ran away from the White Fang just like she did from her teammates. She suddenly had the need to join her friends across the street in a diner who were no doubt worrying about her. They had refused to go home until Blake came with them. Professor Ozpin seemed to sense this.

"I have one last question then you may go. Is that fair?"

"More than fair Professor."

"Why do you wear that bow Blake?" The headmaster's voice was full of both kind and gentle. This had been the first question he asked her on their first meeting. Last time she had told him it was because humans as a species weren't accepting of others who were different. He hadn't been impressed by that answer.

"Because I want others to see me for who I am, not what I am."

"And who are you Blake?"

"I'm a huntress in training looking to make things right. I want to make this world a better planet for humans and faunus, and I want to start by stopping the White Fang."

"And that is why I accepted you into my academy Blake. Just remember that you have friends in this fight. You don't have to do this alone. Let's make a deal. Promise me that if you learn anything about the White Fang you'll inform me, and I'll do the same for you." Something in his eyes made Blake unsure if she could trust him but she had no other option.

"Of course Professor."

"Good. Now why don't you go and say hi to your friends for me. They're waiting for your arrival to eat and I'm afraid miss Rose can't wait much longer. The cookie dough supreme milkshake is making her eyes water just from looking at the menu.

Blake left the headmaster in a hurry and it was one of the best nights Blake ever had. She had a clear conscience and a clear objective. She would stop the White Fang.

Right now however in her bunk bed it was not one of the best nights of her life. It had been nearly two months since her conversation with Ozpin and she was no closer to getting a lead now than she had been. Her conscience was getting heavier day by day and her objective was no longer in front of her. Blake realized she had been in the right place at the right time finding the White Fang at the docks. Her luck had run out after that and dozens of dust shops had been robbed since then. She couldn't help but feel guilty. Just a few short months ago she would have been doing the robbing and stealing. It just made her hate Torchwick even more.

Her thoughts were interrupted when her teammates walked in carrying on their conversation without paying her any mind.

"We should have never let Neptune play!" Yang cried obviously angry.

"You're just mad that the new kid beat you." Ruby said poking fun at her sister. "It's your own fault, I told you that rockslides can happen in Myst Valley if you attack the cliffs but you didn't listen."

Yang muttered a curse under her breath.

Blake saw that her teammates were distracted so she tried to sneak out the door but the eyes of the heiress followed her. The faunus' hand was in the middle of turning the handle when she heard "Stop".

_So close. _She thought.

Blake turned around to see the heiress pointing a finger.

"You are not running away again. Lately you've been quiet, antisocial, moody and-"

"Um have you met Blake?" Yang quipped but wore a worried smile.

"-Which I get is kind of you thing," Weiss acknowledged. "But you've been doing it more so than usual which is quite frankly unacceptable. You made a promise to your teammates to let us know if something is wrong. So Blake Belladonna what is wrong?" Ruby's antics must have been rubbing off on the heiress because she pointed dramatically while balancing on a chair, an act that impressed even her partner.

Blake sighed. "I just don't know how you guys can be so calm."

"You still thinking about Torchwick?" Ruby asked.

"Yes Ruby I'm still thinking about Torchwick!" She shouted. "The guy fought Sun and me without even breaking a sweat. We didn't even lay a scratch on him and he didn't even activate his aura. He was toying with us and if you and Penny hadn't appeared when you did Sun would be dead."

Ruby put her hand on the faunus' shoulder to reassure her.

"I know what you mean Blake. If Professor Goodwitch hadn't saved me before joining Beacon then I'd probably have been sent to the hospital."

"It's more than that." Blake shrugged her teammate's hand off. "The White Fang are working with humans. They would never do that. They're planning something big and no one is stopping them."

"Listen Blake," Yang said trying to calm her partner. "The military, the police, and the huntsmen are all after Torchwick and the White Fang. It's only a matter of time before they're caught."

"But they don't know the White Fang like I do."

"Blake I know you want to stop them yourself but you're still just a student. Leave this to the professionals."

"I have to make things right!" Blake cried. She tried to bolt out the door like two months prior but Ruby slammed the door shut. The speed of the young girl startled the faunus.

"Blake we're your friends." Weiss said carrying a sadness in her voice. "Please tell us what this is about."

The faunus looked at her teammates faces but dropped it when she focused on the heiress' scar too long.

"I did a lot of bad things when I was with the White Fang alright. A lot of things I'm not proud of. I have to set things right but I can't do that if I'm locked away in Beacon. I can't just let the huntsmen fix a problem that was started by the faunus." She took a deep breath. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that if I can stop the White Fang then maybe humans won't have so many reasons to fear us and maybe I can look myself in the mirror."

The room was quiet after that revelation as everyone processed the information. Weiss was the first one to nod followed by her teammates seconds later. If anyone could relate to not wanting to see yourself in the mirror it was Weiss.

Blake smiled for what seemed like the first time since the diner. Yang and Ruby were the next ones to smile as they knew what the plan was.

Weiss could read her partner's thoughts however and made them pause for a moment.

"Okay between killing a giant Nevermore, beating JNPR, stopping robberies, and being Beacon's strongest freshman team may I remind the three of you that we ARE only freshmen. Statistically we'll be lucky to even enter the second stage of the Vytal Festival."

Her teammates hung their heads knowing she was right but didn't want to admit that the strongest freshman team was still outclassed by second years. There was a look of defiance in Ruby's face but she didn't say anything.

"With all that being said though and I can't believe I'm actually going to say this," Weiss sighed. "I think it would be good for us if we investigated the White Fang."

'Wait what?" Ruby was confused. "Didn't you just say-."

"I know what I said dolt, but in a few years this is going to be our job. I don't see anything wrong in getting a little experience first hand." She winked at Blake who smiled.

"As long as it doesn't interfere with the Vytal Festival training then I'm game." Ruby cried. "Because this is going to be our year!" Yang cheered but her teammates knew it was for her sister's benefit. Besides Ruby they all knew what their chances were like.

"So let's make a plan." Yang said happy to see her teammates all getting along.

"Let's make the greatest plan the world has ever seen." Ruby cried as her cape began to flow dramatically. "Let's use the binder I _borrowed_ from Weiss."

"Okay sis. Where is it?" The giant binder was oddly inconspicuous.

"It's... Oh no! I left it in the library. I'll-be-right-back-don't-start-planning-without-me!" A blizzard of rose petals followed Ruby out the door and down the hall.

"We're all doomed." Weiss pouted covering her face in her hands.

Blake laughed and wiped away the tears in her eyes.

_They may be crazy but they're the best friends a girl could have._

* * *

**(A/N: Okay some minor changes here and there. The biggest one is Blake's reason for wanting to stop the White Fang as I wanted to put more focus on the redemption part of her story. I also think that her wanting to be the one to stop the White Fang because she believes it should be a faunus that stops them is believable. You may have caught that Ruby seems to put more importance on the Vytal Festival than the White Fang. More on that later. Also I left out Ruby's run in with Cinder, Emerald, and Mercury as I didn't want her and Cinder running into each other yet. I hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading, and thank you for all the feedback. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made all of this possible. God bless)**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Luck and Happenstance

* * *

The RWBY dorm room was virtually electric as a week of "planning" was coming together. Ruby was humming to herself as she tied her boots from the top of her bunk while below her Weiss was filing her nails in angst. Yang was shadowboxing in the corner while Blake watched sullenly from the desk. While she was excited about tonight she couldn't help but feel her teammates weren't taking this seriously, especially the caped-girl. The training session the previous week had gone well, especially for Weiss, but Blake couldn't shake the feeling that Ruby saw this as a game. Blake had no doubt that her leader's heart was in the right place, she just doubted that the caped-girl wouldn't get side tracked by a shiny penny on the floor.

As if hearing the faunus' thoughts the caped-girl hopped off the bunk and nearly crushed Weiss. "Hey watch it dolt."

"Alright team today is the day let the investigation begin." Ruby sang out.

"It's good to see that you two are taking this seriously." Blake said sarcastically.

"Hey we've got a plan and you never know it could work." Yang's optimism if you want to call it that still hadn't rubbed off on her partner.

"Right." Ruby said happily. "Everyone know their part?"

Weiss rolled her eyes but reported dutifully.

"You and I will go to the CCT to check the Schnee records for any large robberies or inconsistencies. Seeing how I'm in the family it shouldn't be a problem."

Blake was next. "I'm going to tail that deer faunus girl we saw in the cafe the other night. She said there was a big faunus gathering tonight somewhere in the city so I'll just wait outside her apartment until she leaves and follow. With any luck the White Fang will be there." Blake was walking a fine line of nervousness and excitement. She didn't like to think that every faunus meeting involved the White Fang but she knew the odds.

Last was Yang who was stilling smiling at her partner's unintentional pun of tailing a deer.

"I've got an old friend on the shady side of town who knows everything that happens in Vale. Squeezing some information out of him shouldn't be too hard." At last Blake understood the shadowboxing.

"Alright!" Ruby fist pumped the air. "A weeks worth of careful planning and patience has paid off."

"More like luck and happenstance." Yang interjected. "You and Weiss are only going to the CCT today because you didn't want to use the library and the Ice Queen didn't want to wait in line on a weekday like us commoners. Blake just happened to overhear that girl over the loud music in the Cerulean Cafe, and I only remembered Junior's club last night. I had planned on just following Blake out of boredom and hope I didn't get caught."

"Doesn't matter!" Their fearless leader cried. "What matters is that we finally get a lead on Torchwick and the White Fang, and that I finally get to the inside of the CCT. Go team RWBY!"

"Yeah go team RWBY." A voice called out from the open window. The team jumped back in surprise which entertained the upside down hanging interloper.

"Sun!" Ruby cried. "How did you get up there?"

"It's easy I do it all the time." The carefree boy said.

"YOU DO WHAT?!" Weiss exclaimed.

"I climb trees all the time." He smiled innocently which immediately tipped Weiss off that he wasn't so innocent.

_I guess that makes him a degenerate, a stowaway, a thief, and a peeping tom._ Weiss thought to herself.

"So are we finally going to get some payback on that Torchwick guy." He cracked his knuckles for emphasis.

"Sorry Sun," Ruby said politely. "We want to do this as a team. We don't want our friends getting involved if we can help it."

"That's dumb. You should always get friends involved, that's why I brought Neptune." He pointed to his left but the team could only see open air.

Sun climbed into their their dorm room so the naturally curious team RWBY could look outside the window. From there they could see Neptune standing on a small ledge.

"How did you even get up here?" Yang asked amazed.

"I have my ways," He said smoothly. "But seriously though can I please come in? We are really high up and I have a fear of falling to my death."

"How can you have a fear of heights when you're a student at Haven Academy?" Yang asked. "The school is built on sheer cliffs overlooking a giant boxed canyon."

"I never said I have a fear of heights." He pointed out as if he wasn't standing on a ledge several stories high. "I said I have a fear of falling to my death. There's a difference, and besides Haven has guardrails."

Team RWBY shrugged in unison and let him in through the window. When they turned around they saw that Sun had made himself at home by laying on Weiss' bed. She glared at the faunus boy who jumped up when he felt his body go cold.

"Ow!" Sun cried. He saw the glare from Weiss and put two and two together. "How'd she do that?"

"She's not called the Ice Queen just because of her personality." Yang laughed. "Her mattress has a temperature setting that runs off of dust, which she can activate with her glyphs. Be thankful she didn't set you on fire."

Poor Sun's eyes went wide at the thought of being set on fire. He almost wouldn't mind it though compared to feeling like a snowman. He couldn't stop shivering.

"I would have," Weiss threatened. "Except it would have also set my bed on fire which I'll probably have to do now that it smells like a dirty disgusting boy."

Sun jumped behind Neptune for protection just in case the bed spontaneously combusted.

"Okay," Ruby said trying to defuse the situation. "Sun you can go with Blake. You two are the only ones who can get into a White Fang meeting with no questions asked."

"Aye, aye sir." Sun saluted.

"Neptune you can go with Yang since she doesn't have a partner, and I'll go with Wei-"

"-Actually Ruby," Weiss interrupted. "Why don't you go with Yang and I'll go with Neptune."

"Why would we do that?" The caped-girl asked confused.

"Because you might get a chance to beat up more of Junior's henchmen." Weiss hoped her partner's blood lust would be too strong to resist. Then she would finally get to be alone with Neptune. For a moment it seemed as though Weiss' temptation was working but a decisive "Nah" ended her fantasy. Ruby dragged the heiress out of the room kicking and screaming. It wasn't until they had left Beacon's campus that Ruby let Weiss go.

"Are they always like this?" Sun asked.

"Pretty Much." Yang smiled and shrugged her shoulders. She loved their antics.

"Unfortunately." Blake shook her head. "We might as well go too Sun. I don't know when the meeting is." He nodded and followed her out the door.

That just left Yang and Neptune. "You don't get motion sick do you Neptune?" She asked coyly. He shook his head. "That's good I didn't want you throwing up on Bumblebee."

"Who?"

"My motorcycle. That isn't a problem is it?"

"What?! I mean of course not. A cool guy like me isn't scared of motorcycles."

"That's good, besides there isn't anything to be scared of. If we crash you'd probably die from the impact anyways." She brought her finger to her chin as if she were thinking about it. "Well maybe you'd live but breaking every bone in your body can't be fun. Well anyway let's go!" Neptune looked as though he were going to be sick.

* * *

**The Cerulean Plaza**

* * *

From Beacon Academy to the Cross Continental Transmit tower was one of the busier avenues in the City of Vale. The CCT was a part of the Cerulean Plaza which was the city's largest plaza and was a popular hangout for students of Beacon due to the cafes, dust shops, and being able to call home from the CCT. The caped-girl couldn't go ten feet without stopping to ogle in the windows of every weapon shop. On the way they saw an abandoned bookstore but paid it little mind. Tukson's Book Trade had always been a little too pricing for Ruby's wallet. However the closer they got to the CCT the less Ruby seemed distracted. Although Ruby had been to the plaza a number of times and seen the tower first hand she had never been inside.

"I always forget how tall the transmit tower is." Ruby said in awe.

"It's only eight meters taller than Beacon dolt." Weiss tried to sound unimpressed but even she had to admire how the tower dwarfed all of Vale. "You should see the one in Atlas Ruby. It makes this one look like a toy."

"That was the first one right?"

"Correct. Atlas created the Cross Continental Transmit System so the four kingdoms could communicate with each other after they separated. It was their gift to the world." The heiress couldn't help but feel nostalgic. The CCT always made her think of Atlas with its snow and skyscrapers.

"The CCT is just so cool." Ruby squealed. "Being able to call anyone from the four kingdoms is the best."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "I told you that we could have just as easily used Beacon's transmit tower."

"I know but that one is so boring. Its just in the library and doesn't even have holograms for assistants. The CCT has more style."

"That it does." Weiss felt proud to be an Atlesian.

"Oh I know! I'll take a picture." Ruby pulled her scroll out so fast it flew out of her hand and nearly hit an orange haired girl in the head.

"Dolt you nearly hit her!"

"Sorry!" Ruby cried running to pick up her scroll before it could be stepped on. Standing up straight Ruby was face to face with a familiar girl.

"Penny?" Ruby asked hardly believing her eyes. "Penny! Where have you been? You just disappeared that night at the docks."

The girl was shaking in fear and was looking anxious. Weiss didn't know someone's eyes could get that wide.

"I'm sorry but I think you have me confused with someone else." _*hic*_ "Uh-oh, I've got to go. Bye." The orange haired girl ran away at a surprising speed.

"Well that was peculiar. What do you think that was about" Weiss asked bewildered.

_She gets stranger every time we see her._

"I don't know but I plan on finding out." Ruby activated her semblance which left Weiss in a cloud of rose petals.

"Wait!" The heiress cried out but either her partner didn't hear her or was ignoring her plea. "This was your idea Ruby!"

Weiss stormed towards the tower muttering to herself.

"She makes me wait all week to go to the CCT and just when we're only meters from the front entrance she runs off to chase that weird girl. Fine I'll do this on my own. I work best on my own."

_Liar_

All of her annoyance left her though when the automatic doors opened. CCTs made her feel at home, which made her a little nervous. As much as Weiss wished Ruby was with her she had already planned on dumping Ruby at the communication waiting room on the top floor. She was going to have to play heiress again, something she rarely had to do in the past three months. She would have to use her authority to get what she wanted. What Weiss was "asking" for wasn't supposed to be sent through the CCT but because of her position she would get it her way like always. She was also putting some employee in an awkward situation.

_Please just do what I tell you. I don't want to be something that I'm not._

There were a number of Beacon students on the first floor terminals. These were short range transmissions that could reach all around Vale and Patch. Weiss walked past these terminals into an elevator. She practiced smiling in the reflective metal but they all came off as forced.

_Scar._

"Hello," The computer said. "How may I help you?"

"I'd like to use the long range communications room for business please."

"Absolutely. Please place your scroll into the terminal for identity verification." She did as the female voice instructed. "Perfect, thank you miss Schnee."

The elevator doors opened and Weiss entered a large room with hundreds of computer screens for video conferences. The entire room had floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the entire City of Vale and Weiss could even see her partner's home the Isle of Patch in the distance. To her right was the waiting room she was going to leave Ruby in. It was also large and had floor a ceiling window with a great view but it didn't even compare to the conference room dead ahead. Weiss almost felt bad for wanting to confine her partner to such a small room.

Ahead of her was the information desk where the representation of the voice she had just talked to was working. She was modeled after after a young woman in her twenties and seemed to be typing away at a desktop scroll. Of course she wasn't really working, it was all just for show. Ruby was right, Atlas did have style.

"Welcome to the City of Vale's CCT long range communication center. How may I help you?"

"I need to make a call to the Schnee Company World Headquarters in Atlas."

"Absolutely. If you could head over to terminal 16 I'll patch you through."

"Thank you."

Weiss sat down at terminal 16 and waited. Behind her Weiss overheard another student from Beacon talking to her mother in Mistral.

_I guess coming to the CCT is just more fun than Beacon's library._ Weiss thought to herself. She couldn't blame the girl for saying she had a business call to make. Many people claimed to have such a call just to see the view from the top of the tower, even though it cost more. On second thought Weiss wasn't sure how much money it cost to send a priority message from the top of the tower. She had thought about the cost of such a thing.

A flashing button on the terminal let Weiss know her call was ready. She sighed and wore her practiced smile. When she was ready she pushed the button.

"Hello and thank you for calling the Atlas-" Whatever the young woman was going to say was lost when she realized she was speaking to Weiss Schnee. "Oh miss Schnee um-uh good afternoon. Would you like me to patch you through to you father? I believe your sister Winter is still here as well."

"No thank you," The heiress said kindly. "I was actually wondering if you could find some files for me? I've compiled a short list." She attached her scroll into the terminal and after a moment the woman must have gotten it because concern was written all over her face.

"I see. What may I ask is this for?"

"Just a school project don't worry."

The operator obviously didn't believe her but it didn't matter.

"There are some very sensitive documents on this list ma'am."

"Then I will be extra careful to treat them with care."

"Right." The operator sighed and did what she was told. "The transfer is complete ma'am."

"Thank you. That will be all."

"Are you sure you wouldn't like me to patch you through to you father before going?" She almost sounded desperate.

"No I'm sure." Weiss nodded her head and smiled.

"Well then have a nice day miss Schnee."

The operator signed off and Weiss was left staring back at herself through the monitor.

_Scar_

She sighed and the phony smile was gone. No doubt word would reach her father. Weiss suddenly wished Ruby hadn't ran off.

_Mirror, mirror, what's behind you? Save me from the things I see._

* * *

**(A/N: I had fun with this chapter. Weiss has a lot inner dialog but I think that fits her character. She isn't as vocal as Yang or Ruby so it would make sense that she would have more inner thoughts. The sisters tend to say what they're thinking. Blake is the one who keeps her emotions to herself the most, but I think they're fairly readable most of the time. Also I'm using Summer Rose's grave stone from the RED Trailer until I decide on a permanent cover. This image and RWBY belong to Rooster Teeth and all credit goes to them. I hope you are enjoying the story so far. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this series possible. God bless)**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

A Shiny Penny

* * *

**(A/N: Tiny little detail here. I call the academy in Atlas, Polaris Academy in this chapter and called it North Star in Chapter 2. This was not a mistake. Polaris is the name of the North Star in the real world. I kind of picture "North Star" as Polaris Academy's nickname. I think it fits the name scheme of the academies on Remnant with Polaris being a guide star and Atlas being the most northern kingdom. Just wanted to say this before I got messaged on it. Please enjoy, God bless)**

* * *

Penny ran through three plazas before she thought it was safe to stop. The quirky girl found herself in the Verde Plaza waiting for the cars to pass when a hand rested on her shoulder.

"Ruby!" She exclaimed. "How did you find me?"

"I can always find my friends Penny, and superspeed doesn't hurt."

The orange haired girl smiled and her green eyes shined a little brighter. Penny was reluctant but the duo began the trek to the central plaza for a quiet place to talk. Penny seemed distracted and would lower her voice to a whisper when passing strangers. Ruby asked her why she was being so secretive but that only made her more nervous. Ruby decided to break the ice and hopefully get a lead.

"Penny do you know anything about the White Fang or Roman Torchwick?" It was a long shot but she was hoping to either get lucky.

"I'm sorry Ruby but no. Who are they? Are they friends of yours?"

"No Penny, they are not my friends." She stated emphatically.

How could she not know who Torchwick or the White Fang were? They were on the news daily.

"Torchwick is the guy who shot me at the docks. Those masked guys are with a group called the White Fang. Are you sure you don't remember hearing their names Penny?"

"Oh, of course I do. Silly me I forgot." _*hic*_

Ruby felt sympathy for the girl. She hated having hiccups. She got them occasionally when drinking too much milk with her cookies.

"I'm sorry Ruby but I can't help you. I don't know anything about those men."

"It's okay, but what happened to you that night? We were all together one minute and the next you disappeared. Did the police take you away?" Ruby hadn't been able to forget that night where her abnormal friend cut a bullhead in two.

"Oh no, nothing like that."

"Then where did you go? Penny I was worried."

"I'm sorry I worried you Ruby but I've never been to another kingdom before. My father asked me not to venture out too far or talk to strangers. Believe me Ruby he is a very nice man and loves me very much. It's just that he worries a lot and is very protective of me."

"I know that feeling." Ruby blew the hair out of her eyes. "My dad takes me to the doctor if I even so much as sneeze. He took me to the emergency room once when I had the flu."

"My father did something similar when I had a virus. I had been feeling terrible all day and they ended up having to perform surgery on my head."

Ruby thanked God that Weiss and Yang hadn't heard that. They wouldn't have been able to contain themselves at such an opportunity.

"Did your father tell you not to talk to us?"

"They told me I was not to speak to you, Weiss, Blake, Yang, or anyone really. Father told me me to observe, not interact." That last part sounded strange to Ruby but the first part intrigued her more.

"_They_? Who else told you not to speak to us."

The duo walked around a corner and all thoughts of her mysterious friend left Ruby's mind. On the central plaza stage was two storage containers with six Atlesian Knights standing before them. Ruby had never seen an AK-130 up close before. It took all she had not to run up on the stage and dismantle them just to see how they worked. When Penny finally spoke she barely heard a word.

"That's him. He's the one who told me not to talk to you." She pointed toward a hologram of a man.

He wore a white suit and a white glove over his right hand. His hair was mostly black with the exception of the sides which were speckled with white. His presence seemed to exude power even as a hologram. Ruby recognized him instantly as General Ironwood of the Atlesian military and headmaster of Polaris Academy, but she had trouble concentrating on him with the six robots standing on stage.

"The Atlesian Knight 130 has served the fine people of Remnant for many years now and have done a fine job would you not agree?" An audience of citizens clapped as the robots bowed. "But the kingdom of Atlas is the mother of innovation, and _fine_ just isn't good enough."

The military containers opened and six new robots stepped out knocking over the AK-130s in the process. Ruby gasped seeing these new robots in the flesh. She had seen them in magazines of course and in newsreels, but never in person. They were stood nearly six feet tall and towered over their predecessors. They had ARC-38 rifles over their shoulders as their main guns and Ruby could see a resemblance to the previous Atlesian Knights that had been discontinued in favor of the 130s.

These new knights had a black and white color scheme that the military were now pushing compared to the old red and black used for decades. Ruby had personally liked the red and black better but she was incredibly impressed with the new models.

"Atlas presents the Atlesian Knight 200. These new knights are smarter, stronger, and sleeker than their 130 counterparts. They will be defending the borders of Vale, Mistral, Atlas, and Vacuo later this year, and will be symbols of peace for many years to come."

Once again the people clapped. This was nothing they hadn't heard before, most had already seen the new AK-200s already, but seeing them in person and seeing Ironwood was a spectacle. In all her excitement to see the CCT Ruby had nearly forgotten about today being a showcase for Atlas' newest project.

"Now we of the Atlesian military have always supported the idea of removing men and women from the dangers of the battlefield, however there are many situations that require a human touch. Ladies and gentlemen the greatest minds of Atlas along with the cooperation of the Schnee Dust Company are proud to introduce the Atlesian Paladin."

The hologram of the general disappeared and was replaced with what Ruby could only describe as a bullhead with legs. It had two giant arm cannons on its arms and machine guns mounted everywhere. It was a walking war machine made for a human pilot.

"The Atlesian Paladin will begin defending our borders by the end of the year." Again he was met with applause.

Ironwood began describing the strength of the machine but Ruby wasn't listening. She could read about the specifics later. Right now she could only drool. It took Penny three times to wake Ruby from her daze.

"Ruby, I need to go." She cried.

"Huh?" She watched the orange haired girl run into an ally.

Shaking off her day dream Ruby chased after Penny but the girl was too fast. She stole a glance behind her but didn't see anyone following. Not sure what was happening Ruby made a decision. She activated her semblance and left a trail of roses along the alley and scooped Penny in her arms. If Penny wanted to be somewhere safe Ruby could get them there in a flash.

"Hold on Penny."

"Ruby No!" She yelled too late.

The orange haired girl was unnaturally heavy in Ruby's arms. She stumbled and and felt her entire body strain. Ruby made it ten feet before she lost control and spiraled to the ground. She protected Penny on the fall but landed hard on her right shoulder. She yelled as her momentum carried her another fifteen yards into traffic. Ruby was in so much pain she could only watch as an armored truck headed straight for her.

The driver honked his horn and slammed on the brakes but he was going too fast to stop. Ruby prepared for the impact by curling into a ball and focusing all of her aura as a shield. Just then someone jump in between her and the truck. She heard the sound of a car wreck as the armored truck stopped. To her amazement Penny stopped the truck with her bare hands.

"Are you okay sir?" She asked.

The old man too shocked for words only nodded.

Penny glanced down at her hands in worry as a small crowd of people gathered to help.

"Do you need an ambulance miss?" Someone asked the caped-girl.

Instead of answering Ruby gingerly got to her feet. Her entire body ached. Activating her semblance meant that her aura shield wasn't there to protect her when she fell. She had scrapes and bruises all over her body but it was her muscles that hurt the most.

"Penny how did you do that?"

"I'm sorry Ruby." She ran again to another ally looking as if she were going to cry.

Ruby grimaced as she had to use her semblance again to catch up. Her body felt like it was going to break so she could only use it in spurts. Finally she saw Penny jump on a roof and Ruby used what was left of her aura to make the jump.

"Penny. . ." She gasped. "Please...Tell...Me...What...Is...Going...On?" Ruby struggled to catch her breath. "Why are you running? How did you do that?"

"Everything is is fine Ruby." _*hic* _"I can't tell you and even if I did you wouldn't understand."

"Penny please. You can trust me." Ruby pleaded.

"Promise me you are my friend."

"You are my friend." She promised.

Penny held out her fists to Ruby then slowly opened them revealing metallic fingers.

"Ruby I'm not a real girl." She said ashamed.

The other girl only gave a blank look.

"Penny I don't understand."

"Most girls are born but I was built. I'm the world's first synthetic person capable of creating an aura. It means I'm not a real person." Penny hung her head low and stared at her metallic fingers.

Ruby took a step closer and laid her own hands over Penny's. As she did a faint glow resonated from her body and her cape began to whip around.

"Of course you're real Penny. You have a soul I can feel it. You're not like those machines in the plaza or soulless like a Grimm." Ruby activated her semblance and rose petals appeared on Penny's fingers.

"If you didn't have a soul I shouldn't be able to do this."

The girl looked down at her own hands and saw that her metal bones were hidden beneath a layer of red rose petals. When the petals blew away her synthetic skin had healed.

"Ruby how did you do that? My skin regenerates like a human but its slow. How did you speed up my aura?"

"I didn't." Ruby giggled in relief as her idea worked. "I lent you a little of mine. People can do that you know. With a little practice it's perfect for small cuts and bruises."

"Ruby! Thank you very much, but you should not have wasted your aura like that. You're injured and now it will take even longer for you to heal."

"I'm fine Penny. My aura regenerates faster than a normal human's. I am training to be a huntress after all. A few cuts and bruises won't kill me and you missed the point."

"What point?" The orange haired girl said confused.

"If you were soulless then I shouldn't have been able to transfer my aura to you. Since I can it means you are just as human as I am. Minus the icky, squishy guts of course."

Penny gasped in disbelief. "Oh thank you!" She hugged the caped-girl so hard she felt like she would actually burst into rose petals. "You are my best friend."

"I can see why your father would want to keep a delicate flower like you safe." She choked. "Please let me go Penny." Penny did as she was asked.

"Why are you taking this so well Ruby? I didn't think you'd understand." She looked in the caped-girl's eyes like she was the strange one.

"How about we sit down first." She gestured to the ledge of the roof. "You said you were supposed to observe humans so let's observe."

"That sounds sensational." Penny led the way and the two took a seat letting their feet dangle down to the Celadon plaza two stories below.

In truth Ruby didn't want to sit just because of the view. Penny was right, she had used far too much aura to try and heal someone. Ren and Pyrrha were experts at using their aura and had years of practice. Ruby didn't. She had skipped those classes coming to Beacon and she stayed up at night reading to catch up with her team. This was her first time using it to heal someone else and she used a lot just to heal some tiny wounds but she would do it again to prove her point. She took a glance at her wrist scroll and saw that her aura levels were in the red, meaning if this had been a tournament she would have lost.

"The view is beautiful. Your home is amazing Ruby."

"Actually I'm from the Isle of Patch, but I guess Beacon is my home now."

"Where from in Patch? Since it's an island I'm sure it has some really nice beaches."

"Patchwork actually." Her voice sounded hollow.

"I've never heard of it. Is it nice?"

"It's okay," She said simply and trying to move on. "But I've got a new home and more friends than I've ever had before." Ruby unhooked her scythe from her belt and handed it to Penny. "For the longest time this was my best friend. Her name is Crescent Rose."

"Salutations Crescent Rose, my name is Penny."

"I built her in honor of someone I loved very much."

"I'm sure they would be very proud Ruby. Crescent Rose is as fine a weapon I've ever seen."

"Thanks. Most people who see her say I went overboard with the design."

"Non-sense. Your modifications give her personality. If Crescent Rose could talk then I'm sure she would thank you." She handed the sniper-scythe back to the caped-girl.

"I hope so. I know Crescent Rose just a machine, an extension of myself, but she isn't like you. You're not just a machine Penny."

The robotic girl looked as though she'd cry but the tears never came.

They sat on the ledge for nearly an hour watching the people dwindle down as the sun set. The caped-girl could feel a chill so she raised her hood. When her scroll went off she nearly fell off the roof.

"What's that?" Penny asked.

"That's just an alarm I set. We're supposed to meet at the Cerulean Cafe when everyone is done with their missions. I set it so I wouldn't forget. Would you like to join us?"

"I'm sorry but I can't. I'm supposed to return to the Atlesian airfield before six o'clock or else they'll send someone to fetch me."

"Um Penny, it's nearly seven."

"What?!" She exclaimed. "Oh no that means someone is on their w-"

"Miss Penny." A voice called out. "Are you around here?"

Both girls nearly jumped as the voice came from behind them. Whoever it was they were climbing the ladder to the roof. Before Ruby could say a word Penny knocked her off the ledge. The caped-girls reflexes were too good however and she grabbed onto the edge, but not before letting out a squeak.

"Penny what are you doing?"

"I'm sorry Ruby but I don't want them to see you. You'll just get in trouble."

"But-"

"It's okay. They're good people and just want to keep me safe. See you later." Penny forced Ruby's fingers to let go of the ledge and she fell straight into a dumpster, making a horrible crashing noise as she did.

"Salutations officers."

"Miss Penny it's nearly nineteen hundred hours. Why have you not returned to base, and who were you speaking with?"

"No one officer." _*hic*_ "I was just watching the people like father and Mr. Ironwood told me to and I must have lost track of time." _*hic*_

"You should be more careful Penny." Another officer said. "Your father was worried. Are you alright?"

"Not even a scratch." She held up her hands as proof.

"That's good. Please miss Penny come with us. Your father will want to take a look at your internal clock."

"Yes sir." She saluted and to the officers' amusement led the way back home whistling the Atlesian anthem.

Once Ruby could no longer hear her friend's whistling she knew it was safe to crawl out of the dumpster and nearly took a face plant. Her entire body hurt. Ruby's semblance always put a strain on her body but lifting Penny had forced her aura to put three or four times the stress on her muscles. Then she used her aura to heal Penny which Ruby didn't regret but her body sure did. She massaged her right shoulder and willed her aura to relieve some of the discomfort. She wasn't an expert at channeling aura but it did bring some relief. Afterward she felt dizzy and caught herself before she fell over.

_Alright Ruby, no more aura transfers and no more semblance for the rest of the night. Hopefully Blake and Sun can handle things with the White Fang..._

* * *

**(A/N: This was another fun chapter. One thing I noticed was that Ruby and Penny say each other's names a lot. I like that Ruby opens up more to an android(?) more than her teammates. It shows that Ruby is better with "machines" than she is with people. I also liked the idea that Ruby used her aura to heal Penny's hands. I think it was a selfless thing to do and proved her point nicely. Also I wanted to show some of the disadvantages of having a semblance like Ruby's that requires her body to be in top form. Carrying a heavy android and running at a hundred miles an hour can't be good for your muscles, plus her aura is running low so she'll heal slower. Hope you enjoyed. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who without Him none of this would have been possible. God bless)**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Third Crusade

* * *

Junior mumbled a curse before pouring himself a drink. The bartender normally didn't partake in his club's indulgences but the blonde showing up again was an exception.

"I haven't seen Torchwick since that night." He said before taking a swig. "Torchwick paid me up front my my men and they never came back. I don't know where he is or the White Fang for that matter…"

"Some info broker you are." Yang snapped. "Do you know anything that happens in this city?"

"Listen blondy if I knew where Torchwick was I would tell you. I lost four of my best men because of that guy."

"Four of your best men? Didn't they get beat up by a teenage girl or something?"

"This is a legitimate operation blondy. The guys in suits are just window dressing, the twins are my real muscle." At the mention of the twins Neptune glanced over and waved to Melanie and Miltiades. The twins only rolled their eyes and scoffed.

"When you say they never came back do you mean they're-?" Neptune asked nervously.

"Like I said they never came back." The bartender's hardened eyes never left the blonde's gaze as he took another shot. "And just so you know those boys were card dealers, not fighters. A fifteen year old huntress in training could have taken them easy." Yang tried not to look surprised at the mention of Ruby.

"Yeah blondy I know about your sister and I do happen to have some information about her and it won't cost you a single lien. Haven't you wondered why you sweet, innocent sister was on the bad side of town the night you trashed my club?" Yang gritted her teeth. More than once it had crossed her mind.

"She was just passing through."

"Hmm, It doesn't sound like you believe that, and who could blame you? This is a pretty shady neighborhood and it's your duty as a big sister to protect her. Would you like to know why your little sister has been coming to the bad side of town for months now?"

"Shut up!" Her semblance flared and parts of her mane caught on fire. "My sister was just passing through, end of story." She turned to leave and grabbed Neptune by the ear as he was busy watching the twins.

"Oh by the way blondy." Junior called.

Yang's eyes burned red as she activated her gauntlets and let her threat be known. The men in suits also pulled out their weapons but Junior waved them off.

"The twins and I will be seeing you real soon." He smiled and went back to cleaning glasses.

"Count on it." Yang smashed the door on her way out which made the bartender laugh.

_I hope you and Torchwick kill each other. That would save me a lot of time._

Junior turned to one of his men and pointed towards an old fashioned rotary phone.

"Get Mr. Taurus on the phone."

The doorman nodded and did what he was told.

"Tell him I want to renegotiate out deal concerning Roman Torchwick. If he refuses then tell him my father, 'Papa' Hei Xiong would like a word with his boss."

* * *

Back outside Yang was still fuming. She let out another string of curses while pacing past Neptune.

"Do you always do this when you're upset?" Neptune didn't know if he should be impressed or terrified. The blonde bore holes into the blue haired boy but eventually she sighed. Fire engulfed the girl and exploded knocking him off his feet.

"Sorry," Yang said honestly. "And yes that happens most of the time." She took a seat by the curb.

"It's cool." He said while taking a seat next to her. "So I guess this was a waste of time."

"Maybe not." She said dubiously. "Junior knows everything that happens in Vale, he isn't just some bartender or club manager. If he doesn't know where Torchwick is hiding then either he isn't in town or someone is paying him a lot of lien not to know.

"Couldn't we just beat the info out of him? You said you did it before."

"He had that coming, and no we can't just beat it out of him. He's an info broker for a reason. It's bad for business if he spills secrets every time a gun is put to his head. Money on the other hand is good for business and I just happen to know the richest girl in Vale, but hopefully it doesn't come to that."

"You know the richest girl in Vale?" He asked bewildered. "Who is she."

"You're kidding right?"

He shook his head.

Yang was floored by the boy's blindness. She was about to say the Ice Queen but decided against it. Weiss had told her that she liked that the blue haired boy flirted with her before even knowing she was a Schnee. Yang could sense the reasons for the heiress' feelings, so if Neptune could honestly forget that Weiss was the heiress to a billion lien company then Yang wouldn't remind him.

"Doesn't matter. By the way don't tell the others about Ruby."

"Tell them what?"

Yang couldn't tell if Neptune was just playing dumb for her benefit or if he had been too busy staring at the twins' legs to listen. Either way she was thankful. She didn't know why her sister had come to this part of town and she didn't trust Junior, but she wanted to accept her sister's story no matter how unlikely.

"Let's hope Blake and Sun are having more luck."

* * *

**West Side of the City of Vale**

* * *

Blake was appalled by what was before her but not surprised. The warehouse was filled with nearly a hundred White Fang members and nearly as many new prospects. The deer faunus they had followed was among them wearing a Grimm mask just as they were.

"I still don't get the masks." Sun had said when they first arrived. "We shouldn't hide what we are."

"The masks are a symbol." Blake informed. "Humanity wanted to make monsters out of us so we decided to don the faces of monsters."

"And then they became the monsters."

"And _we _became monsters." She said sadly.

"It's always sunshine and roses with you isn't it?"

"Sunshine and roses would be Yang and Ruby." She said humorlessly.

Sun didn't like wearing the face of a monster or hiding what he was, but he stood beside Blake nonetheless. However he couldn't believe his friend had once been a member of the White Fang. Just seeing a banner with "_The Third Crusade will continue!_" made his skin crawl. He had many human friends and felt appalled for their sakes.

"So did you buy into all this Third Crusade stuff too?"

"We all did. Now be quiet, I'm listening and so are others." Blake knew she wasn't the only one with super hearing. If they were found out it could mean their lives.

All around the room small conversations were taking place. From what Blake's cat hearing could make out no one knew what was going to happen but they all knew tonight was important and that made her even more nervous. Even though the room was full of new recruits and she was behind a mask, Blake couldn't help but feel piercing eyes on her back.

She fought the urge to turn around and instead focused on the large man standing before a podium. Blake didn't recognize him but she knew she would have. He was nearly seven feet tall and had a massive chainsaw strapped to his back. When he spoke Blake was surprised to hear an articulate man with an Atlesian accent. Behind him was a massive crate with military labels on the front.

"Greetings friends. I would like to welcome you all to a very important meeting. Tonight will be different from our past gatherings. We have a new guest speaker to share a message. For those of you just joining us tonight we of the White Fang would like to introduce a special friend." A man wearing a white suit and carrying a cane walked across the stage shadowed by a short woman with pink and brown hair and carrying an umbrella. Even though they both wore masks Blake recognized the man instantly.

"This man is the key to obtaining equality with humans. He will change the course of history. Please help me welcome Roman Torchwick."

Boos filled the warehouse. The new arrivals seemed ready to leave and from the expression of the White Fang members they didn't look thrilled either.

"Please hold your applause." Torchwick removed his mask. "My name is Roman Torchwick and as 'Mr. Chainsaw Guy' said I am here to help your cause. I'll be the first to admit that humans are the worst. Case in point." He took a small bow.

"I'm sure you would all like to to see us in prison or better yet killed, and who could blame you? The government, the police, the military, and even the schools are against you." He paused to let the words sink in.

"Humanity treats you like cockroaches when in reality they're the insects, and lucky for you I'm the best exterminator around. Neo if you would be a doll." The short woman beside Torchwick removed her mask and smiled. There was something unnerving about the mismatched brown and pink eyes and hair of the woman. Blake couldn't help but shudder. There was malice in her eyes.

She opened her umbrella and suddenly the crate behind her opened and a giant machine appeared. The crowd burst into cheers and she took a bow.

"That is one big robot." Sun said stating the obvious.

"How did he get a paladin?" Blake whispered. "Those aren't supposed to be out until the end of the year." Sun didn't have an answer.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you the fruits of the Schnee Dust Company's slave labor. As some of you may know this is the Atlesian Paladin. It hasn't even hit store shelves yet but I was able to acquire a reserved shipment. Now I leave you a dilemma. You may stay in the city of Vale if you wish, ruled by humans. Or you may come with me and fight those who have oppressed you with their own weapons. Join me in the Third Crusade and I swear to you history will be made. All you have to do is sign an enrollment sheet."

The first moment Blake saw Torchwick she had passed him off as nothing more than a thug with a gun. But when he had toyed with Sun and her, Blake realized he was also as skilled a fighter she'd come across. Now though with his ability to charm a hostile mob she realized just how dangerous the man with the bowling hat really was.

There was a stampede of first timers wishing to join. Blake and Sun were nearly trampled.

"Uh Blake, I think we should get out of here."

"I know that but they locked the door. We'll have to think of something."

The herd of people were thinning around them leaving them with less cover. Torchwick would spot them easily even from behind their masks. They had to think fast.

"He's going to see us." Sun moaned.

"I know just look for a way out."

Sun noticed the strange woman waving at him so instinctively he waved back. When he did she nudge Torchwick who followed her gaze. His eyes narrowed.

"Oh crap I think he sees us."

"Not for long." Blake saw what she was looking for. "He can't see us in the dark."

She withdrew Gambol Shroud and took aim at an electrical box. While her gun wasn't nearly as powerful as Ruby's it was much faster. She emptied half a clip into the box in a fraction of a second and the lights went out.

"Now Sun run!" She screamed as they ran for the windows. They jumped through them together side by side. Sun landed on two feet with his tail keeping him perfectly balanced, while Blake much like a cat landed on all fours before straightening.

"Do you think he'll follow?" Sun asked.

The sound of a paladin running through a wall answered his question.

"Nevermind don't answer that!"

Blake had to think of a plan. She and Sun were faster than humans but she wasn't sure about paladins, and she knew Torchwick would chase them to Vacuo and back if he had to. She decided to call for backup.

"Everyone," She yelled into her scroll with team chat on. "We have a situation here and we need help."

"There's a paladin chasing us!" Sun screamed. "It's really big and that Torchwick guy is in it."

"Where are you? And who's the girl with you?" Ruby's voice asked from the scroll. Obviously she had mistaken Sun's shrill voice as a girl's.

"West side of town by the old docks." Blake informed. "We'll try to lead him away from the neighborhoods to the freeway."

"Please hurry!"

Sun and Blake ran as fast as they could but were barely staying ahead of Torchwick. All the while Ruby formulated a plan and repeated it back to them.

"Oh this is a bad plan." Sun moaned.

"Good enough for me." Blake said desperately. "Ruby where is everybody?"

"Yang should be...behind Torchwick any moment. Weiss and I... are already in position."

If Blake didn't know any better she would say Ruby was out of breath, but she dismissed the idea as the caped-girl's stamina was almost limitless.

"Okay, we're leading him on the overpass now. Yang if you could give us some support that would be helpful."

"On it. Neptune go!"

The blue haired boy came out of no where driving his harpoon into the paladin's shoulder blades but it barely even slowed the machine down.

"My turn." Sun activated his semblance and suddenly he had three clones of himself running beside him looking as though they were made of light. "Hey good looking." He said to himself.

Turning around Sun launched himself onto the paladin with his clones. When he landed the copies were immediately destroyed due to the speed of the paladin hitting them. Even Sun with his skills as a faunus had trouble holding on.

"Go Yang!" He yelled as Bumblebee raced past the paladin. Yang matched speeds with the cat faunus so she could climb on before speeding down the empty highway.

Sun and Neptune did all they could to slow the paladin down and to cause as much damage as possible to it's neck but their attempts failed. Suddenly the top half of the paladin began spinning like a bullhead rotor and they were both sent flying off the overpass.

"Ahhh!" They yelled in unison.

Torchwick continued the chase but when he saw a red hooded girl standing in the middle of the other lane he couldn't pass it up.

_Goodbye Red_.

The paladin jumped over the median and just before his fist could connect with her the girl disappeared in cloud of roses and only then did he notice the ice. When the paladin's feet landed they couldn't gain traction and the machine slammed into the guardrail and tumbled over the side.

The paladin landed on its feet and Torchwick couldn't have been more pleased. The chase was over and he had _Red _and _Black _standing together, and they even had friends. _White _and _Yellow_.

_Now you can all die together..._

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you everyone for reading this far. It really means a lot to me that so many of you have stuck around to chapter 8. By the next chapter of the book I plan on shortening the name of the series just to "The Petals Scatter Now" and have "The RWBY Volume 2 Novel" in the description. In hindsight that seems smarter but I didn't want to sneak up on anyone about the not so original story. Once again you all have my thanks. I hope you are all enjoying my take on the series. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior and without Him this story wouldn't have gotten very far.** **God bless**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

An Unsavory Paladin

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you everyone for the kind words and support. You all have been wonderful. Please sit back and enjoy. God bless)**

* * *

The paladin towered over the four girls who looked undeterred by its size and machine guns pointed at them. It was as if the man in the bowling hat wasn't even hiding behind several inches of steel. Team RWBY was fearless as they raised their weapons.

"Hello Red," Torchwick sang from within the paladin. "I see you brought your pet cat, and here I thought you were more of a canine lover. But who are these two?" The mech pointed an over sized finger at the blonde and the heiress.

"They look like fun. I hope they aren't pushovers like you Red. Your last two outings haven't impressed me. At least your pet entertained me for awhile."

The others however were less amused. Blake stared menacingly at the soulless machine. She was nobody's pet.

Yang and Weiss took a step in front of their partners. They didn't appreciate the insults and wanted payback for them.

Ruby however was planning and that took a cool head, something her teammates were incapable of at the moment.

_This is a prototype_. She thought to herself. _The military version should have red markings and shoulder cannons but this one doesn't. That means it probably doesn't have all the upgrades the 290 Atlesian Paladin has. Its armor also won't be as thick._

"Hey guys I think I have a plan." Ruby whispered.

"Does it involve beating this guy to a pulp?" Yang cracked her knuckles then her neck.

"Maybe. This isn't a real 290 Paladin. It's just some prototype probably used to demonstrate the 290's fire power. I recognize the arms and legs as the 270's."

"Which means what Rubes?" Yang and the others were less familiar with robotics.

"The 270 model was discontinued after only two years. There was a design flaw. The shoulder joints in the arms were weak points that Grimm could exploit and would leave its operator helpless. It's the same reason the Atlesian Arachnids were discontinued."

"So you're saying we should aim for its shoulders?" Weiss asked.

"More specifically its right shoulder. Torchwick is right handed so he'll favor it. Also aim for the back of the neck, that's where its targeting system is." That was where she had told Sun and Neptune to attack before they were flung off.

"So Red is your leader?" Torchwick laughed. "Now I've seen it all. I didn't know Beacon admitted preschoolers. I guess that's what happens when a senile old man is left in charge of the most prestigious academy on Remnant."

The paladin shook its head.

"Come on kids don't be shy, I'll even give you the first shot." He raised the paladin's hands above his head and even through several inches of armor they could feel his arrogance.

Ruby tried to think of an immediate plan. _Charging head first is suicide. Attacking from multiple angles is our best shot. Speed over power. But we need a distraction…"_

"What too scared? Here let me go first!" His main arm cannons charged.

"Freezerburn!" Their leader cried.

Weiss created a powerful ice glyph around her teammates which sent chills down their spines. With a powerful blast from her aura Yang melted the ice and a thick mist covered the underpass.

The paladin's laser cannon fired but the team disappeared in the mist. Red lights flashed within the machine as it switched to thermal and his targets were highlighted.

"Too bad Red, not only do I have thermal but I also have auto targeting."

Rockets shot from the paladin's wrists but each one was destroyed before hitting its target.

_Perfect. _Roman thought to himself as each lock changed color to match its target. _Red _had cut a rocket in two, _White _had created an ice shield, _Black _had created a decoy to take the hit for her, and _Yellow_ had merely punched her rocket out of her way.

_Now I know exactly who is who._

Just then _Red _attacked his back with her scythe but had to retreat immediately for fear of being stepped on.

"Checkmate!" She shouted.

Blake and Weiss attacked the right arm slashing and stabbing what they could. The faunus used both her clever and katana to cut while the heiress tried to burn her way in with her flaming rapier. An alert appeared before Roman saying his secondary machine gun was malfunctioning.

_Pesky brats._

He swatted the two away but a black propulsion glyph courtesy of the heiress' glyph propelled them backwards to safety. Torchwick fired another round of rockets so the duo had no where to go but up.

"Got you!"

A laser blast hit the heiress square in the chest as another hit Blake's shadow. In one last move Weiss activated a gold glyph at her partner's feet before falling to the ground.

Blake recognized it as a haste glyph. Her whole body began to glow gold and the world slowed down.

_Is this what it's like for Ruby? _She wondered. Just then a familiar hooded figure appeared beside her.

"Ladybug!"

Using Crescent Rose's recoil and Blake's temporary speed boost they took turns slashing, stabbing, and cutting the right arm of the paladin. Torchwick's auto-lock couldn't keep up with their speed or their erratic movements. The computer tried to predict their next move but it would miscalculate every time. One auto lock never lost it's lock however as its target was half dazed trying to regain her breath.

Torchwick fired at the red and black pair who easily dodged the bombardment of rockets, but they were too preoccupied fighting to notice their friend in trouble until it was nearly too late.

"Weiss run!" Ruby cried in horror.

The heiress didn't have time to run, instead she raised her rapier and an ice barrier formed around her. The rockets pummeled the shield but luckily her shield only broke after the last explosion occurred. From the smoke she gave her teammates a thumbs up and a forced smile. That had been her third haste glyph for the night and she was reaching her limit.

"What's...happening...to...me...?" Blake asked. Moments ago she had felt as though her body and mind were running a hundred miles an hour. Now she was struggling to chain words together.

Ruby glanced at her teammate and knew instantly she had made a major mistake.

_Weiss wasn't his target, Blake was. He forced Weiss to break her haste glyph and Blake went from bullhead to turtle in seconds._

The paladin raised its leg to crush Blake but the faunus could barely follow its movements. She had never had a haste glyph end abruptly on her. Ruby activated her semblance while having flashbacks of Blake getting game over screens because the caped-girl couldn't protect her.

"No!" Ruby exploded in petals and flung herself into Blake sending them both sprawling hard onto cement. A crater appeared where Blake had been standing.

"Ahh!" The caped-girl cried. Her shoulder was throbbing and her entire body ached from the momentary use of her semblance.

"I guess it's true that Beacon only accepts the best students of Remnant." Torchwick said sarcastically as he pinned Ruby's cape to the ground. She tried to free herself but her semblance was speed not power, and her muscles were at their breaking point already.

Torchwick placed a wrist cannon to her chest and Ruby lost her breath. Even if her aura hadn't been so low a point blank shot would kill her before she hit the ground.

_I'm sorry Mom. _ She thought miserably. _ I broke our promise._ Ruby remembered the words that had been etched in her mind so long ago by her mother.

_And thus kindly I scatter…_

She closed her eyes and readied for whatever happened.

Ruby heard the gunshot and expected to see a hole in her chest but instead she saw the paladin's wrist cannon fall off completely as her sister pounded her fists together. Yang's hair was set ablaze and her eyes the color of blood.

"Ruby," She said all too calmly. "Get Blake and Weiss away. I'll handle this."

This reminded the caped-girl too much of that day so long ago.

"Ruby!" Yang said more forcefully. "Blake and Weiss need you. Now go."

That got her attention. Seeing she was now free Ruby tried her best to sprint to Blake who was still recovering. Ruby grabbed her by the hand and nearly dragged the sluggish faunus to where Weiss was kneeling.

"This isn't going well." Weiss shook her head as she reloaded Myrtenaster. She held a hand to her chest where she'd been shot and wiped the sweat from her face.

"I know," Ruby said feeling frustrated. "We'll just have to trust Yang."

They watched as the blonde sized up the paladin.

"That was a neat trick blondy." Torchwick said. "You used your aura to confuse my auto lock. Your heat signature shows up above the overpass and I thought you were waiting for a _surprise_ drop attack. Are you sure you go to the same school as those losers. Red over there nearly got herself killed again."

"That's my sister!" Yang cried as she charged. Torchwick threw a punch but the brawler easily dodged under and around. She climbed atop the paladin's back and began punching the base of the neck where Ruby had said the auto-targeting relay was. Error messages appeared all over Roman's screen which made him growl. He wouldn't be able to make any cheap shots again.

He did have one trick up his sleeve however.

The paladin charged a row of overpass support pillars and rammed several until the blonde was thrown off. The second Torchwick had the chance he spun around and punched the helpless girl into another pillar splitting it in half.

"Yang!?" Blake cried.

"It's okay," Ruby said gently. "The more damage her aura takes the stronger she gets."

"Yeah but-"

"-Trust me Yang can handle it. It's what makes her special." Blake could hear a grim tone in her leader's voice.

To the faunus' shock and amazement however her partner got back to her feet. Her hair was glowing gold and her eyes crimson. Her body seemed to radiate power. Ruby stole a glance at her wrist scroll which kept track of her teammates' stats. Yang's aura was in the red but the power levels were off the chart. It was her heartbeat however that had her sister a little worried. The siblings heart rates were naturally high due to their semblances, but Yang's was dangerously high.

_Please end this fast Yang._

The paladin raised a fist to squish Yang but the blonde easily stopped it with her own. Chunks of metal flew off the machine's arm and Torchwick saw dozens of error messages coming from where the team had attacked.

Yang raised another fist and Ember Celica shattered the paladin's arm on contact as if it were made of glass. Torchwick barely managed to keep the paladin on two feet from the impact, but countered with a fast kick sending the blonde flying past her teammates.

"Bumblebee!" Ruby cried. Blake having recovered somewhat from the backfire of the haste glyph instinctively threw Galbol Shroud's ribbon to save her partner. Yang easily grabbed the ribbon and fired a shot to propel herself back at the paladin but it easily moved out of the ribbon's reach. Blake pulled Yang around in a circle to gain momentum and make another pass.

"It's faster than I thought." Ruby said. "We have to slow it down."

"And how do you suppose we do that!?" Weiss sounded desperate.

Ruby smiled. "Ice Flower!"

Seven ice glyphs appeared in front of Crescent Rose's barrel. With each pull of the trigger Ruby would destroy the glyphs while Weiss created another to replace it. With every shot a frozen casing surrounded the paladin's legs. Weiss was just getting light headed when Ruby signaled her to stop.

_You may be able to dodge my sister's fists, but you'll never dodge Crescent Rose._

"Yang now!" She cried.

The blonde released herself from Gambol Shroud and with the momentum rivaling the Nevermore slingshot Yang launched her fist into the paladin's chest, breaking its midsection into dozens of pieces and Torchwick was sent sprawling. He was quick to get to his feet however and began patting his suit to shake off the dirt.

"And I just had this suit cleaned." He groaned.

The rest of the team raced to Yang's side to back her up as Ember Celica launched a rocket at Torchwick's head. He didn't even flinch as the missile exploded only inches from his face.

A small woman with a pink umbrella appeared in front of Torchwick shielding him from the blast. Blake recognized her as the woman from the warehouse.

"I bid you adieu ladies," He said bowing slightly. "You have been quite helpful tonight. It's been a pleasure. Neo if you would be so kind." The mute woman also bowed as if this had been a performance.

An angry Yang charged and as her fist connected with Neo's jaw they both burst into shattered glass. The blonde searched desperately for the duo but the sound of a bullhead flying over head told her where they had escaped.

"No!" She yelled. Yang fired missile after missile at the bullhead but it was too far away. When she ran out of ammo it was Ruby who stopped her from reloading.

"That's enough Yang they're gone." It startled Blake and Weiss to hear Ruby raise her voice to her older sister. The caped-girl rarely ever raised her voice.

Yang growled.

Waves of Yang's normally soothing aura violently cut through the air. They could literally feel the anger radiating off her.

"He almost killed Blake and Weiss! He was about to put a bullet in your chest Ruby! He was going to kill you!"

"I'm still here Yang." Ruby said calmly as she stood in the eye of the storm. "This isn't the first time my life has been in danger and it won't be the last." She took a glance at her teammates and sighed. "This isn't like Patchwork Yang."

Yang closed her eyes and the storm slowly died. Her burning gold mane returned to normal and the violent aura ceased. When she opened her eyes they returned to their normal lilac.

"Sorry Ruby. I guess I got a little carried away. I do that when I'm Yangry." The blonde laughed which made all three girls relax. Even though they couldn't stand the horrible puns she constantly made they laughed now despite themselves. Soon they were choking back tears. None of them were sure what they were laughing at but that only seemed to make it even funnier.

It was Ruby's wrist scroll alarm that brought her back to reality. Her aura was dangerously low but her's hadn't set the alarm off. Yang's aura hitting zero had.

"Someone catch her!" Ruby screamed as her sister started falling head first.

* * *

**(A/N: I really hope this lived up to everyone's expectations. I wanted to show that team RWBY isn't invincible and that a paladin is a serious opponent even if it's a prototype. Tell me if you like that I shortened the title to "The Petals Scatter Now", you can still call it the RWBY Volume 2 Novel if you wish but I decided to put that in the description. I am open to changing it back however. Thank you for reading and all of the support. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ as this story was made possible by Him. God bless)**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Faded Embers

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**(A/N: Thank you everyone for the support and encouragement. You guys are fantastic. I can't believe so many of you have stuck with me so far. From the bottom of my heart thank you. God bless)**

* * *

If it had not been for Blake's cat like reflexes her partner would have fallen face first onto the pavement, but due to Yang's limp body and the exhaustion of her own Blake could do little more than let the blonde fall gracefully.

"Yang?!" Blake cried out in worry. "Yang wake up!"

"It's okay, her aura hit zero that's all." Ruby said gently. "She'll be sore and have a nasty migraine when she wakes up but rest is the best thing for her. Plus I don't think you would wake her if you tried. Now help me prop her against this broken pillar." Ruby and Blake half carried half dragged the blonde to the pillar so she could sleep sitting up.

After Ruby was satisfied that her sister was comfortable she turned around to see unease on her teammates' faces.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Weiss echoed back in shock. "Your sister just destroyed a paladin after shrugging off the worst beating I've ever seen. An explanation would be nice."

"What do you mean? You both knew Yang's semblance is absorbing the damage her aura takes. Why are you two so surprised?"

"Because Ruby," Blake said kindly. "Weiss and I have only seen glimpses of Yang's semblance in practice or when she's in a foul mood. We've never seen her fight like that or lose control."

"She never lost control." The caped-girl said sharply. "Yang doesn't lose control."

"Right…" The heiress retorted remembering the time Yang had sent a student to the infirmary for putting gum in her hair. Yang snorted in her sleep.

"Why don't we talk over there," Ruby said pointing to the clearing. "Yang needs the rest and we'll be able to see the cops coming." They nodded and left the blonde to rest.

"I'm surprised they're not here already." Blake said while searching the skies for bullheads. "Especially with all the extra troops Atlas sent."

"I know." Ruby said concerned. "Should we call them ourselves? Or at least contact Beacon?"

"No," Weiss said matter-of-factly. "A paladin doesn't go unnoticed and neither does a bullhead. Someone is on their way count on it. But what I would like to know is how Torchwick got his hands on a paladin. They aren't fully developed yet and you can't just buy them on store shelves."

"Maybe he stole them?" Ruby suggested. "He is a thief."

Weiss shook her head. "You don't just steal a paladin and even if he had I would have heard about it." _I'm the heiress to the most powerful company on Remnant, of course I would know about something this serious. Wouldn't I?_

"I don't want to think about Torchwick or the White Fang right now." Blake said shaking her head. She hadn't taken her eyes off her partner since she fell. "Ruby tell us about Yang's semblance. I've never seen anything like it."

Ruby signed and glanced at her unconscious sister.

"Think of Yang's semblance as a fire. The angrier she gets the more the flame rages. The more punishment her aura takes the hotter the flame. Her emotions spark and fuel the flame early on, but she has to take damage to feed the fire. What you two saw was Yang's fire being over fed by the paladin."

Blake and Weiss nodded as they already knew the basics to Yang's power.

"So Torchwick added so much fuel to the fire that when Yang dropped her semblance it left her exhausted and she passed out." Weiss said figuring it out.

"I never knew her semblance was so powerful." Blake said in awe. "Is it dangerous for her?" Ruby undid her wrist scroll and handed it over for them to see.

"This keeps track of all our aura levels and our vitals including our heart rates. My heart beats the fastest but during that fight Yang's was even out speeding mine. I don't like Yang putting that much stress on her body." Her voice softened. "Fires aren't meant to burn forever guys."

"But it's okay." Ruby said quickly seeing their horrified faces. "Yang is fine and I'm just being careful. Yang just needs a power nap after using so much aura. Her body and aura are built to handle her semblance just like ours are. If my heart was like yours it would have popped the first time I went super speed."

Blake and Weiss stared at the little scroll they each had a hand on. Ruby was right, her heartbeat was much faster than theirs. They were both a little surprise to see the caped-girl's aura levels so low though. For the first time they noticed how Ruby leaned against Crescent Rose for support and was visibly shaking, a tell-tale sign of aura exhaustion.

"Ruby are you okay?" Blake asked feeling concerned.

"I'm fine, just tired."

"Do you want to sit down?" Weiss asked feeling guilty for not noticing her partner struggling. Although Weiss kept her wrist scroll in her pouch she rarely wore it as it clashed with her combat skirt. Yang and Blake also rarely wore them but that was because Yang's gauntlets were in the way and Blake could not replicate it with her semblance.

"Guys I'm fine, seriously."

Weiss didn't want to leave her partner's low aura a mystery. When Ruby found her before the battle she was a mess. She smelt like garbage, held her right shoulder as if in pain, walked with a limp, and had needed Weiss to create a haste glyph for her to catch up with the team something Weiss had never dreamed Ruby would need. When Weiss asked her what had happened she had said she would talk about it later, and from the expression on the caped-girl's face it seemed that she still wasn't ready to tell her team what had happened.

_Does this have something to do with Penny? _She wondered.

Weiss saw her heart beat spike on the wrist scroll and thought how strange it was to see her own heart rate. There was a slight delay but she could almost feel and see them matching.

"Well Ruby," The heiress said smirking. "If you ever wanted proof that the Ice Queen has a heart here it is." She handed the scroll back to her partner.

"Must be a glitch." Blake muttered.

They all smiled and began laughing. Maybe it was the adrenalin wearing off or maybe it was the moment of levity that made them laugh so hard, but whatever the case they soon had tears in their eyes from laughing so hard. Ruby collapsed to the ground unable to keep herself upright which just made the situation even funnier.

When their fit had ended the girls had a new appreciation for each other. They knew someone had their backs. The faunus even had a few extra tears hit her cheek.

"What's wrong Blake?" The heiress asked.

"It's nothing." She said embarrassed while wiping the tears away. "I'm just happy everyone's alright. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Me neither!" Ruby cried as she launched herself at her teammates for a bear hug that would have made a Ursa proud. "Why does Yang always miss the gushy parts!?"

"Please stop Ruby." Blake pleaded.

"You're hurting us." Weiss choked.

The trio collapsed and Ruby was beaming. Today her team had defeated a paladin, sent Torchwick running, and the team was closer than ever. Nothing would take this moment from her. Not even half a dozen bullheads landing around them.

The team felt the downdraft before they heard the engines. They had been so preoccupied with Ruby's Ursa like hug they hadn't noticed the fleet flying over head.

When the bullheads landed Weiss and Blake stood up while Ruby needed a hand. A team of paramedics led by an elderly woman ran forward asking if they were injured. Ruby was so startled by their sudden appearance that all she could do was stammer. It was Weiss who took control of the situation for her leader/partner.

"We're fine ma'am. Just some scrapes and bruises, but other than that we're okay."

"What about your friend? Is she…"

"Oh Yang's fine!" Ruby nearly shouted as she came to her senses. "She used all her aura that's all. She's just taking a nap." That didn't seem to relieve the woman who turned to an assistant.

"Check her breathing and make sure she doesn't have any internal injuries. Without aura her body can't repair itself. We'll take the team back to the school and do our scans there. No point in doing it here in the cold."

"Yes ma'am." The workers split up, half of them taking their packs to Yang while the others began checking on Ruby and Blake. The caped-girl sat down on a piece of rubble feeling dizzy all of a sudden. She checked her wrist scroll and saw her aura had dipped since they began talking. The burden she had put on her body was beginning to catch up with her.

"Let's take a look at your burn miss Schnee." The elderly woman said.

"My what?" Weiss looked down at her chest and for the first time noticed the burned clothing around the hole where the paladin had shot her. The doctor helped her remove the jacket and they could see her bright red, bubbly skin.

"How did I not notice this before?" Weiss asked. "Since I was shot I haven't felt any pain."

"That's normal." The woman said. "It can take awhile to feel the full effects of a dust cannon. They numb your skin and you don't even realize you've been shot. But trust me, the pain will come. This should help though." She rubbed some kind of lotion into the skin which made Weiss grit her teeth. The cold touch of the cream seemed to pull the pain out of hiding.

"It'll take a couple of days until your aura is back to normal so apply that every six hours. Burns take awhile to heal even with aura so expect that to last a week."

"Oh no!" Weiss shouted.

"What's wrong?" The elderly woman said suddenly worried.

"This is my favorite jacket." The heiress exclaimed. "I loved this jacket and now it's ruined." The doctor smiled despite her patient's dramatics.

"Just be thankful the hole wasn't through your chest. If your aura was like a normal human's you'd be dead" She finished her evaluation of Weiss from her scroll before turning her attention to Ruby and Blake who were being looked at by other paramedics.

"And how is miss Rose doing?"

"Miss Rose's aura is below 10% ma'am and seems to have injured her shoulder. Also her aura is continuing to drop from the strain on her muscles."

"I wouldn't expect any less from Taiyang's daughter." The elderly woman sighed as if remembering something troubling. "For the next few days miss Rose I would suggest against running at mach three. Every time you activate your speed semblance you are putting strain on you body that your aura has to compensate for and with it being so low you are feeling the full force of your speed on every bone, muscle, and organ. You're lucky you haven't ripped the muscles clean off your bones yet young lady. When we get back to the school you are to be confined to your bed until your aura is at least 30%. Is that understood?" Ruby nodded but it was clear she didn't like the elderly woman's prescription.

The doctor turned to Weiss. "Make sure your partner stays inactive until she is rested. Freeze her to the bed if you have to." Ruby pulled her hood up while the heiress smiled brightly.

"And you miss Belladonna I am already seeing the signs of a concussion." She turned to her assistant. "Am I correct?"

"No ma'am. A haste glyph went awry and it is still effecting her."

"Hmm, that'll do it. Very good, go back to the bullhead and get the equipment set up. We'll take off soon." They nodded and left.

"Now that they're out of the way miss Belladonna you'll be able to sleep off most of the effects of the glyph, but your faunus and human senses will be unbalanced for a few days."

"How did you-?" Blake's hand subconsciously drifted towards her bow.

"I'm the head physician at Beacon miss Belladonna it's my job to know, but not necessarily theirs." She nodded towards her medical team. "Patient confidentiality and all that. Now if you'll excuse me I must see how miss Xiao Long's nap is going." She walked away and had a small chat with her assistant. After a moment she doubled over laughing and came back to the teens.

"Miss Xiao Long will be just fine. She punched my assistant in the chest for putting an IV in her arm."

Blake and Ruby beamed while Weiss looked horrified.

"I am so sorry." Weiss said. "I will have Yang personally write him a letter apologizing."

"Don't worry about it. He probably deserves it. Anyhow we're prepping miss Xiao Long for the flight back to Beacon. She and miss Rose will spend the night in the medical bay so we can keep an eye on them but you two are free to go or stay. We have some free beds if you'd like to stay with your teammates." They both nodded. "Good. Now if you'll excuse me I see Professor Ozpin would like a word.

The trio turned around to saw their headmaster limping out of another bullhead. He had a scowl on his face but it seemed to soften when he saw the girls. The doctor spoke with him for a short while before he nodded and turned his attention to the team. As he walked Blake noticed the grip on his cane made his knuckles white.

"It seems you four have had an eventful evening." Ozpin said casually. "Dr. Heilen tells me miss Xiao Long will be just fine and you three only have minor injuries, but tell me how are you holding up?"

The girls didn't know what to say. They hadn't expected to see the headmaster here but weren't too surprised by his appearance. Ozpin always seemed one step ahead. But they didn't really know how to respond. _How are we doing?_ They thought simultaneously. They had nearly seen each other die and could see the price of their victory with Yang being moved on a stretcher and Ruby not much better.

"We're exhausted." Blake said truthfully.

"I can see that." He said pulling out his scroll. "It would seem your unsavory paladin put up quite the impressive fight, but was nothing you couldn't handle." Images flashed on the screen and Ruby could clearly be heard shouting "Ladybug".

"How did you-?" Ruby questioned.

"A well positioned traffic camera. It seems you all handled yourselves like true huntresses."

"But we let them escape." Blake expounded.

"No, you four did your duties as huntresses protecting the city. Tonight you saw what your training if preparing you for and you have the scars to prove it. By no means was Torchwick's escape your fault." There was something different with the way he said fault and Blake could sense it.

"Is something the matter Professor?"

He took a breath and sighed.

"You'll be hearing about it on the news anyway so there's no point hiding it. Tonight there was a security breach in the southeast perimeter of Vale." The color in their faces drained.

"What?!" Weiss cried.

"Grimm got through the gates but no one was seriously injured and the perimeter was established quickly. Not a single Grimm got into the city luckily, or past the other defenses. The Atlesian military worked fast and will place extra guards on the border. We believe someone may have sabotaged the security fences."

All three girls were speechless. If Ruby hadn't already been sitting she would have fallen like her sister. If the perimeter fences ever fell or if Grimm were ever let into the city it would only be a matter of time until the city fell.

Ozpin sensed their fear so he cleared his voice. "But you four were here defending the city while we were not. You behaved admirably tonight and you have my thanks. Now go be with Miss Xiao Long on the airship. We will discuss this at a later date. I'm afraid I will be needing more coffee. This is going to be a long night." He said something under his breath that Blake could barely make out. _Queen has pawns..._

Weiss and Blake helped Ruby to her feet but Ozpin interrupted them.

"Could I see you for a moment miss Belladonna?" She nodded and Weiss helped Ruby back to the bullhead.

"What is it Professor?"

"You and I had an agreement Blake." He didn't sound angry just disappointed. "If you discovered any news about the White Fang or Torchwick you were supposed to share with me."

"I'm sorry sir, but I honestly didn't even know the White Fang were going to be there tonight. I was just following a rumor and a hunch."

Ozpin considered this then sighed. "I guess it can't be helped then. There was nothing we could have done anyway. Most of our forces had been moved to the border. Even if we hadn't been busy it could have turned into a war zone. You did the right thing Blake, just inform me next time."

"Thank you sir and it won't happen again."

"You and your team did good work tonight. Go and get some rest." He turned and walked back to his airship. Blake caught up with her teammates and helped Ruby into the bullhead.

It wasn't until they were nearly home that the caped-girl noticed two people missing.

"What?!" Weiss shouted.

"I said," Ruby screamed back. "What do you think happened to Sun and Neptune."

Blake and Weiss shrugged their shoulders. They had completely forgotten about them.

"Let's just enjoy the peace and quiet." Weiss said laughing.

"What?!" Ruby shouted unable to hear.

* * *

(**A/N: I wanted to spend a chapter explaining Yang's semblance while also having an Ozpin scene. I also liked the idea of Cinder testing out Vale's perimeter fences and security. Seems like something she would do and it makes sense as it draws eyes off of the White Fang if they get spotted and Torchwick can move about more freely. Plus I needed Ozpin to show up late to the party. I also threw in that Blake/Ozpin scene because it would make sense that he's a little upset that she went off on her own again, but he relents when there wasn't much he could have done anyway. Also quick note I will be going back to previous chapters to fix spelling, punctuation, structure, and other awkwardness. No plot elements will be changed but if there are any I will make a note of it. Once again thank you for reading you guys are amazing. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior who has made this possible. God bless)**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Nuts and Bolts

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_Thus kindly I scatter._

Ruby jolted awake gasping for air as the nightmare ended. She wildly looked around the dark room to get an idea of where she was. This didn't feel like the bunk bed. A familiar pain filled her body and she was overcome by a sense of deja vu. There was only one place she could be if she felt this bad. The hospital or more specifically the medical bay of Beacon Academy.

The caped-girl lowered herself back onto her bed as her fright ended. She grimaced as her head hit the pillow and her chest threatened to collapse.

_Okay no fast movement._ She thought idly while catching her breath. _You really did a number to yourself this time._

_Torchwick..._

Ruby frowned remembering the previous hours. On one hand she was proud of her team for defeating Torchwick and defending the City of Vale. On the other she was ashamed her plan had gone so poorly.

_I made Weiss a sitting target and nearly got Blake killed. The only reason we won that fight is because of Yang. _

Ruby rolled over to see if her team had woken up yet. They hadn't. Weiss and Blake had been told they could return to their dorm if they wished, but they had decided to stay with their partners. Ruby could barely make out the shape of her team in the dark but from experience she could make out the heiress' crossed arms over her chest which always reminded Ruby of sleeping in a coffin. Blake from what she could tell was curled up on her stomach similar to cat, and Yang was sprawled out snoring indignantly.

_Thus kindly I scatter._

Ruby shuttered at the old nightmare that had plagued her childhood and resurfaced this night. She had grown accustomed to waking in a cold sweat and her heart racing, but waking in a unfamiliar place had put her on edge. The caped-girl tried to remember what the room looked like in the light but she had been so tired after Weiss had brought her pajamas she had crashed just like her sister.

She glanced at a small clock next to her bed and saw it was a quarter til six. She had another hour or two until her team began stirring, possibly more after such an eventful night. As gingerly as she could Ruby crawled out of bed feeling like a rusty Atlesian Knight. Luckily for Ruby, Weiss had forced the caped-girl to brush her teeth before bed otherwise she would have no idea where the bathroom was. It took all her wherewithal not to cry out in pain every time she took a step. She had to hold onto the wall to keep herself steady. Her right shoulder was killing her so she favored her left. Her whole body was sluggish which was not something Ruby was used to.

She locked the bathroom door behind her and climbed onto the counter not trusting her shaky legs to keep her upright. She splashed cold water on her face and looked into the mirror to see a mess. Her eyes looked bloodshot and she was incredibly pail, a common sign of aura fatigue. Ruby wondered if she had used any aura in her sleep. After waking from a nightmare she would occasionally see rose petals floating above her as if she were running away.

The caped-girl turned to the side and pulled her shirt up to get a good look at her shoulder. Just as she expected it had gotten even more bruised as she slept. Now it covered nearly to her bicep, but at least it wasn't broken. She had broken her arm as a kid and had to make do with her left for months. Being right handed had made her life difficult for awhile but she had managed. Now she was ambidextrous and Crescent Rose was just as deadly in her left hand as her right. It came in handy for nights like tonight.

Ruby pulled her shirt back down and sighed. It felt like her nuts and bolts were coming apart but she knew once her aura returned they would tighten again. She just had to wait and rest. Two things she wasn't very good at.

She quietly opened the door and returned to her bed as painlessly as she could, making use of the wall railings. Normally if Ruby woke early and couldn't fall back asleep she would clean her weapon, but this morning Crescent Rose was in her locker and she didn't have the strength to find her.

_Maybe tomorrow._ She mused while yawning. Despite the nightmare Ruby could feel herself falling asleep. It was as if she were gently falling on the bed into the dark. Soon she joined in her sister's snoring.

Weiss ended the small propulsion glyph on her partner. In the many nights of Ruby's nightmares the heiress had learned that the gentle feeling of the glyph helped the caped-girl fall asleep. Weiss didn't know what the nightmares were about but it disturbed her. More than once she had shouted "Don't go!" in her sleep and it tore at the heiress. Occasionally Ruby would say something in a sing-song voice, like "Red like roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest" but it sounded haunting to the heiress. Tonight she had said another common phrase Weiss had heard, "Thus kindly I scatter".

It bothered Weiss to see her partner in so much physical pain. It had been hard for her to stay in bed and watch Ruby limp to the bathroom on her own. She had to admit though the young girl was impressive. Even though she had been tired and low on aura she was still capable of handling a haste glyph. Then she had created a plan to defeat one of Atlas' greatest weapons without knowing its full potential. The plan would have worked without a hitch if Weiss had been out of range of the auto-target. The heiress couldn't help but feel responsible for the plan going awry. There had been nothing she could do except protect herself with an ice shield, but that broke Blake's glyph and nearly got her killed if it hadn't been for Ruby. The part that may have impressed and scared Weiss the most about her partner had been Ruby's passive face as a gun was placed on her chest. It was like she was embracing her fate as if it were an old friend. It sent chills down her spine.

_What on Remnant happened to that girl?_ Weiss wondered. _And what does 'Thus kindly I scatter' mean?_

The sound of the sisters' in sync snoring lightened the heiress' mood some. She turned to Blake who she had no doubt was still awake. The only one who could sleep through Ruby's nightmares was Yang who could sleep through anything.

"Good night Blake." Weiss whispered and grinned at the faunus before laying her head down.

"Good night Weiss." She whispered back and returned the grin, fortunately Weiss didn't have night vision so she couldn't see it's half hearted appearance.

In truth Ruby's nightmare hadn't woken the faunus. She had never fallen asleep. She couldn't get the thought of the White Fang having paladins out of her head. They really could start a third crusade now. Blake had seen the damage one paladin could cause personally. Her team was paying the price for it now. Yang had woken up long enough to change clothes before going back to sleep, Weiss had a nasty burn, and Ruby could barely walk and nearly been killed. Blake had nearly died too but that was a fate she could accept. Ruby wasn't supposed to die and the faunus couldn't live with herself if anything happened to the girl. She was just a kid.

Blake had accepted Ruby as a prodigy from the start, but the fact that Ruby was nearly three years younger weighed on her mind sometimes. It was still hard for her to accept the caped-girl as her leader at times. The girl was immature, hyperactive, reckless, and over confident. But worst of all she was naive and a good person. And Blake had seen what the White Fang do to good, naive people.

_This is supposed to be my fight not theirs._

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading. Sorry for the short chapter but I really wanted to show the wear and tear Ruby had gone through the day before and Weiss' and Blake's thoughts. I like how similarly they see Ruby almost as a kid sister, especially Weiss, but they also have to balance the fact that she is their leader and how they go about it differently. It's an** **interesting four way dynamic on the team that I like. Hope you enjoyed. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior who has made this possible. God Bless)**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

A Flock of CRDLs

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The sound of metal bouncing off metal rang throughout the auditorium as Pyrrha's shield blocked Cardin's mace once again. It was quite the spectacle as the amazon faced all of team CRDL by herself. Goodwitch had initially refused Pyrrha's request to face all of her sister team, that is until Cardin bragged that the four time Mistral regional champion wouldn't last five minutes against him let alone his team. At the time the students had assumed the professor had refused the young huntress' request because it would put her in a disadvantage. Now however it seemed the opposite was true. She had been trying to protect team CRDL.

Team JNPR smiled as their strongest member smacked Dove in the face with her shield. They felt no sympathy for the team and grinned even wider when Pyrrha knocked Sky and Russel aside to get in Cardin's face again. Every time the leader backed away his teammates would try and overwhelm her, unfortunately every time they tried this it was uncoordinated and Pyrrha would unceremoniously knock them aside. Jaune knew that if his partner had wished to take Russel, Sky, and Dove out of the fight she would have but the amazon seemed content with chipping down their auras down bit by painful bit. This wasn't about winning, it was about sending a message and a healthy amount of revenge. Jaune wished Velvet hadn't been on a mission so she could see this.

"Kindness them with kill." Nora muttered. Ren gave his partner a funny look but didn't say anything.

Ruby watched in awe of the fighting prowess of her friend. She had claimed a front row seat next to a girl from Haven Academy named Emerald and her friend Mercury who would occasionally exchange knowing glances with each other.

The caped-girl did her best not to cheer as Pyrrha defeated both Sky and Dove with her spear. She had swept their legs from underneath and they cracked heads on the way down. Both their auras hit red at the same time. Russel was the next to fall but that was due to the reckless swinging of Cardin's dust mace which caused an explosion where he had been standing. His aura also went into the red.

The fact that three members of team CRDL had been eliminated due to poor teamwork was not lost on Ruby. _They would have been better off fighting her one at a time. _She thought._ They're good fighters but they have no direction from Cardin. They're just charging in with no plan._

Cardin's mace smashed the training room floor which was easily avoided by Pyrrha. The smell of red dust filled the air reminding everyone of blackpowder. Cardin must have believed he had the upper hand because he charged the amazon looking for a final hit.

Pyrrha raised her shield and easily parried the blow. Cardin was knocked into the air by the upward thrust of Milo's spear form and the amazon caught the boy's neck between her spear and shoulder then with a ferocious battle cry hit the ground with all the force she could muster. The back of Cardin's head hit the armor plating of her shoulder and there was no doubt the boy was out cold. His aura dipped far into the red which declared Pyrrha as the winner to few surprises.

"Very good miss Nikos." Professor Goodwitch said while strolling past Cardin who was being checked on by his team. "You should have no trouble qualifying for the Vytal Festival Tournament."

"Thank you Professor." She said graciously.

"It will be difficult to top that but we may have time for one last exhibition match. Who would like to go next?"

Ruby immediately wanted to raise her hand but Goodwitch had chastised her all week when she raised her hand. She still had not been cleared for combat yet. Even after nearly a week she and her team still hadn't fully recovered. Her aura was still busy treating her sore muscles and shoulder but physically she couldn't complain. Pain was something she had grown accustomed to in her training and this was mild compared to the morning after the paladin incident. It had hurt to even breath then but now she wanted back in the action.

"What about you miss Belladonna?" Blake's head shot up as her name was called. "You've been cleared for combat and you haven't had a match in weeks. Care to change that?" Goodwitch was clearly trying to push the young faunus as kindly as she could but she wouldn't force Blake unless she had to.

Blake shook her head. "No thank you Professor. I'm sorry but my aura still hasn't recovered fully." Goodwitch sighed but nodded.

Ruby knew this was a lie. Her teammate had fully recovered from the haste glyph days ago and her aura was well above acceptable combat levels. She did however look terrible. She was incredibly pale and there were deep shadows under her eyes, a tell-tale sign of lack of sleep. Ruby had also barely seen the girl eat all week. Ruby didn't need her sister's skill of perception to know what was on Blake's mind. It was what consumed Blake's mind. The White Fang.

Ruby had tried cheering the faunus up by suggesting Sun as a date to the dance but she had made the excuse of being too busy. When she had pushed the issue Blake had gotten angry and said it was a waste of time before running off. Not for the first time the caped girl wished she wasn't intimidated by Blake. It wasn't because of her faunus heritage as that had never bothered Ruby. No she was intimidated because she was supposed to be the leader of someone older who had far more life experience than her. Ruby also didn't have her sister's ability to read people well or Weiss' deduction prowess. She was still getting used to people. On that front maybe she and Blake had something in common.

"Well would anyone else like to have an match?" Much to Ruby's surprise the boy from Haven raised his hand.

"I'll go." He said sounding bored.

"Mercury Black is it?" Goodwitch asked. He nodded. "It is rather unusual for exchange students sitting in to engage in matches but very well. Let's find an opponent for you."

"No I've got a better idea. How about her?" He pointed a finger at Pyrrha who was taken aback.

"I'm afraid miss Nikos has already had a match against four opponents no less." Goodwitch's eyes narrowed. She disliked the thought of an exchange student trying to take advantage of her best student. "Why don't we find you another opponent."

"That's alright Professor." Pyrrha said grinning as she welcomed the challenge. "I will be happy to oblige."

Ruby could feel the confidence radiating off Pyrrha. She had just defeated four opponents at once without so much as a scratch. If she hadn't known Pyrrha personally her confidence in battle could easily be misinterpreted as arrogance at times. But Ruby also knew it wasn't being arrogant if one backed it up and the amazon standing before her had never lost a match, official or otherwise. It wasn't something Pyrrha ever gloated about, it was just something she wore like a piece of impenetrable armor.

"Very well. Get changed Mr. Black you'll get your wish after all." There was a hint of a smile as Goodwitch turned.

"Thank you ma'am." He left and returned moments later wearing his huntsman gear. Pyrrha analyzed his weapons and armor looking for weak points. His weapons reminded her of Yang's gauntlets except Mercury's were on his legs. Looking at his light armor she could tell he relied on quickness and long reach with his legs, and from Pyrrha's experience with sparring with Yang she had an idea of what to expect. With each kick there would be an explosion and he would use that recoil to his advantage. She saw one major glaring weakness however. His boots along with his light armor were made of metal and she could exploit that weakness to her heart's content.

Both combatants readied themselves on their starting blocks. Pyrrha took a defensive position as she knew the assault would begin quickly. Professor Goodwitch waived her crop to signal the start of the match.

Mercury wasted no time in charging in for a head kick which was easily blocked by Pyrrha's shield and in retaliation had his legs swept from under him. He dodged a sword thrust and retreated back. This time it was Pyrrha who charged and he took to the defensive using his legs to block both her shield and sword but the amazon quickly found another weakness. He couldn't block both at the same time. Pyrrha raised Milo for a high arching stab but it was easily deflected by a high kick which was exactly what she was looking for. With his defense gone she bashed his chest piece in with her shield sending him retreating again. He shrugged his head as if to say 'Not bad'.

"Hey your friend is doing pretty good." Ruby said complimenting Emerald's friend. She smiled at the young girl but when she turned her head Emerald rolled her eyes. This was just an exhibition match after all.

It was Mercury's turn to charge but this time he varied his kicks enough to make the amazon backpedal some. Pyrrha hid her dagger behind her shield and as he went for another chest kick she raised her shield to defend but another perfectly aimed kick knocked the sword from her hand. On his next kick she was forced to block with her hand but once again sent him reeling with a shield bash. Mercury retreated but was looking more confident this time. Dropping your weapon in battle was a beginners mistake that could cost you your life.

She bent down to pick up her weapon and he saw an opportunity. He dived for a head kick fearing little retaliation. At worst she would block his kick but it would keep her from her weapon, and strong attacks would slowly chip her aura down. His kick however sailed just over her head merely centimeters from where he'd aimed. The girl's weaponless hand had barely grazed his boot. His eyes went wide in surprise and barely backflipped out of the way of another shield bash.

The boy looked concerned for a moment until realization crossed his face. Pyrrha snatched her weapon and charged looking to finish the fight. The boy however only turned to the professor and closed his eyes.

"I forfeit." He said loud and clear. Pyrrha had to roll out of the way to stop her momentum.

"You don't want to even try?" Pyrrha asked confused. There was a little annoyance in her voice.

"What's the point?" He said smugly. "You're a renowned tournament fighter. How could any of us even compete?" Pyrrha narrowed her eyes.

"In that case," Professor Goodwitch declared. "Pyrrha Nikos is the winner of the match." Even though Pyrrha had been announced the victor it was Mercury who was smiling. "Perhaps you should choose your opponents better next time Mr. Black." Goodwitch said privately.

"Yeah I hate seeing a mismatch in a fight." He gave Pyrrha a knowing look before turning to leave.

BBBRRRRIIIINNNG!

The bell sounded and Blake shot up from her seat in fright. Some girls behind her giggled.

"That will be all today class. Please enjoy your three day weekend and the school dance. But remember that when you return you will receive your first missions as first years. There will be no excuses for missing such an important event. Get plenty of rest and try not to get into trouble." She glanced at teams RWBY and JNPR. "You are dismissed."

The classroom emptied and team JNPR ran down to congratulate Pyrrha on her victories. She smiled at their praise but didn't say anything. Her eyes were trained on the boy who forfeited as he greeted his green haired friend.

"Isn't learning just the best." He said cheerfully.

* * *

**(A/N: Hope you enjoyed the fight. I wanted a chapter where team RWBY could rest while giving them a health update and this seemed like a great place. No I didn't have the original plot line where Ruby meets Cinder, Mercury, and Emerald as I didn't really like the idea of Cinder meeting the other characters. I'm also not on board with the idea of Cinder either posing as a student or as an actual student. Feels weird to me to have the main villain in a school uniform. I'll get more into their dynamic later as for now it's not important. Thank you for reading. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior. God Bless)**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Melancholy RWBYs

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**(A/N: Thank you everyone for the kind words and the support you have given me. I can't believe how many people are reading this week to week. Thank you so much you people rock. Please enjoy this chapter and my version of the Dance Arc. God bless)**

* * *

There was an unnatural silence in the team RWBY dorm room. Normally a game of _World of Remnant _could be heard from out in the hall that would end with Yang cursing and being labeled a sore loser by her sister. For those with incredible hearing they may hear the noise of a page turning courtesy of Blake. Weiss could occasionally be heard calling someone a dolt or yelling at her partner that a flamethrower attachment for Crescent Rose was a terrible idea and to return it where she found it, but little did she know that Ruby kept it in her locker just in case Arachne grimm ever invaded Beacon.

Right now however there was little disturbance to be found. Blake had run off to the library after class citing she had some unfinished homework which fooled no one. She had been skulking to the library after class every day that week. Yang claimed Professor Goodwitch had wished to speak with her about the dance which Ruby and Weiss would have believed but they also saw Yang carrying her motorcycle helmet and could hear bumblebee outside the window.

The heiress was sitting at the desk trying to multitask multiple objectives at once and failing. Her mind felt as cluttered and in disarray as Ruby's side of the closet. Normally Weiss was good at multitasking and enjoyed the feeling of accomplishing multiple things at once but she had too much on her mind now. She was half tempted to cast a haste glyph on herself but she knew that would end disastrously.

The caped-girl to her credit was leaving her partner to her own devices. Ruby had laid a white cloth on the floor and was stripping Crescent Rose down and cleaning her parts. This was her fourth time to do so this week despite not seeing any combat besides Torchwick. Ruby was itching to use her unofficial first born in battle again and being with her baby made her calm.

While most students normally kept their weapons in combat lockers it was not unusual for the team to wake up and see Ruby in the bathroom cleaning Crescent Rose in the sink listening to music in her pajamas. It was normally a sign that the caped-girl had a nightmare and couldn't fall back asleep. Her team thought this was odd the first time they saw this but they quickly accepted their leader's odd quirk.

Ruby finished putting Crescent Rose back together on autopilot before deconstructing her again. She couldn't get her team out of her head. They were all good fighters and worked well as a team. They all had different personalities but they all put their differences aside for the sake of their friends. _So why are we avoiding each other. _

Besides the night in the medical bay Ruby had spent little time with her team. Blake would hide in the library while Yang and Weiss spent all of their time planning the school dance in place of team CFVY who were on a mission. Ruby had tried to help but she had no sense of fashion so she normally watched the two bicker about something as trivial as table cloths before going back to the dorm alone. The caped-girl wanted to pull everyone together again but she didn't know how. She was over two years their junior and self admittedly not good with people. She was however good with weapons.

Weiss sighed loudly and pushed her scroll away. Nothing was being accomplished it seemed.

"Any problems?" Ruby asked absently.

"No." Weiss said a little too sharply.

Ruby never stopped her disassembling of Crescent Rose. Her partner's sharp tone barely fazed her anymore.

Weiss sighed again and looked over to the young girl with the oversized rifle. _She's just trying to be nice. It wouldn't kill _**_you_**_ to be nice for once._

Every night that week Ruby had been woken by nightmares and the heiress had tried putting her back to sleep with a glyph. Sometimes she succeeded and other times she failed. It worried Weiss that the girl's nightmares had become more frequent lately.

"I'm reading the Schnee Dust Company reports." She said offhandedly trying to sound casual.

Ruby looked up in surprise. "Find anything weird?"

"No and that's just it. Nothing is out of place. I've been looking over these files all week and all paladins are accounted for."

"Isn't that a good thing?". Ruby asked confused.

"Normally yes but we know at least one paladin is missing. These records have everything listed, even the top secret stuff not released to the public."

"Really?" Ruby asked excitedly standing up to get a peak.

"Back up dolt, Schnee eyes only." Ruby moaned but sat down on the heiress' bed giving the scroll its space. The bed sat a little lower to due Weiss lending her dust mattress to Ruby to help her muscles heal. "You'd probably remember this," She mumbled. "What was the serial number of the paladin? I didn't get a good look at it in the fight."

"APP-617." Ruby reported dutifully.

Weiss nodded and checked her scroll. "Yeah it's right here. The report says it should be in Mistral right now. I don't get it."

"Maybe they're out of date?" Ruby suggested.

Weiss shook her head. "No these reports were from that morning. Unless Torchwick managed to steal it and bring it to Vale in the span of a couple of hours then these reports are wrong.

"Oh." Ruby said simply in a loss for words.

"What's more is all the dust that has been stolen in the last year alone." Weiss' voice cracked. "Ruby this is my family's legacy. Mining dust is what made my family and in the past year enough has been stolen to supply a small army. How did my father let things get this bad?" She asked in frustration.

Ruby wished she had answers for Weiss. The heiress had been extra moody all week but Ruby knew she had her reasons. Weiss has was the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company but she had no real power. All she could do was watch as tragedy beset her family and future company.

A new binder caught Ruby's eye and she pointed. "What's that?"

Weiss turned and smiled. Its contents had also frustrated her but she needed a break from the SDC and her partner's easily distracted mind was welcomed.

"This Ruby are the plans for the best dance activities ever." As if it was proof, _Best Dance Activities Ever_ was written on the front. Ruby laughed at the inside joke.

"Are those all the plans you and Yang have come up with the past two weeks?"

Weiss shook her head but kept smiling. "Yang doesn't know it yet but I have made some subtle changes to our plans."

"Like what?" Ruby asked trepidatiously. She didn't like the sound of that.

"Like changing the napkins from lilac to cerulean. That way it matches my dress." Ruby rolled her eyes. "Neptune likes the color blue."

"I've noticed."

"Do you have a date yet?" The heiress asked.

"You already know the answer Weiss. I promised Yang I would go to the dance. I never said anything about a date." She laid back closing her eyes and grimaced as if something hurt.

Weiss looked hard at the young girl. Even with an oversized weapon Ruby was just fifteen. The heiress knew how pent up her team had been since the fight with Torchwick. They needed some levity which was why she and Yang had been pushing Ruby and Blake so hard to go the dance. But maybe another strategy would help. One that was more suited for her partner.

Weiss glanced at her wrist scroll she had started wearing and saw the caped-girl's aura was just above 70 percent. Goodwitch may never allow her in a match but the heiress wasn't Goodwitch.

"Hey Ruby?" She asked.

"Hmm?" Ruby opened an eye.

"What would you say to a sparring match with me in a training room?"

"Huh?" She asked confused. "I mean sure but don't we have to reserve a room first?"

Weiss shook her head. "All the second and third year students are on missions which just leaves us first years. I can't imagine all of them are filled up."

"But what if you get injured? You're going to the dance with Neptune and what about your aura?"

"My aura is fine Ruby and I don't mind a few bruises. What about you? Your shoulder and muscles doing okay?"

"Me? I'm fine. Just a little sore. As long as I keep my semblance to a minimum I'll be fine."

"I'll try to keep mine in check too then." Weiss smiled thinking back to a memory. "You remember playing _World of Remnant_ in the library the third day of the semester?"

"Yeah..." Ruby wasn't sure where her partner was taking this.

"You remember what we said about your weakness in fighting defensively when you're low on aura?" Ruby nodded remembering. "Well I think this would be a prime opportunity to see if you've improved. Maybe you can used your aura for defense for once." If there was one thing the caped-girl couldn't resist it was a chance to improve her fighting skills.

Ruby's eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute."

"What?" Weiss asked afraid she said something wrong.

"You just want to take advantage of me being injured so you can finally win a match. Sorry to disappoint you princess but I'm not going to lose." She said dramatically.

Weiss smiled at her partner's over the top antics. "You caught me Ruby Rose. Now let's gear up."

"Okay and thank you Weiss." She said gratefully while holding her hand up.

"Don't mention it." The heiress grabbed her partner's arm and helped her up.

Just then the door opened and Yang walked in with a head full of helmet hair.

"Hey guys where are you going? I just got here."

"Weiss and me are going to the training room." She said gleefully.

"Weiss and I." She said knowing it wouldn't do any good. "We thought it'd be a great way to relieve some stress. The team has been a little edgy since last week."

Yang nodded but looked unhappy. "Are you both sure you're okay? The three of us still aren't at a hundred percent. Ruby what about your muscles? Or your shoulder?"

"They'll be fine Yang. As long as I don't over do it with my semblance they'll just be a little extra sore tomorrow, no big deal."

"What about the dance Weiss? You don't want to risk a black eye or something." Yang hoped the dance would knock some sense into Weiss.

"I don't really care about that Yang." Weiss said kindly. "I deal with a black eye every day of my life." Yang couldn't help but look at the heiress' scar. "It'll be fun. Why don't you go to the library and get Blake. We should go as a team."

Yang nodded feeling defeated. "Yeah okay I'll go find her."

"Okay then let's go!" Ruby cried while running for the door.

"Wait dolt." Weiss cried. She picked up Crescent Rose and handed it to Ruby.

"You're going to need that."

Ruby nodded and ran out as a tell-tale sign of roses trailed behind her.

Yang gave the heiress an annoyed look but Weiss only shrugged.

"She'll be fine."

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed. I'm changing some of the Dance Arc as I wasn't a big fan of it. I also want to put more focus on Ruby and her character development. Next chapter is going to be fun. If you have any comments please be sure to share. You people are awesome. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior who without Him none of this would have been made possible. God bless.)**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

A Rose By Any Other Name

* * *

"Yang this is stupid." Blake growled as her partner dragged her out of the library. "I have work to do."

"Yeah right, when I walked in you were just staring at your scroll like a zombie. The only reason you even noticed me behind you was because I flashed a laser pointer at the screen."

"Not funny by the way."

"Just trying to keep you on your toes."

"Never been better." There was a challenging tone in the faunus' voice that Yang couldn't just let go. She looked from side to side to make sure no one was watching. There wasn't.

"Uh-huh," Yang scoffed. "And what would you do if Torchwick walked through those doors right now?"

"I'd fight him."

"You would lose."

"You don't know that!"

The blonde sized up her partner. She was a shell of herself from a week prior where she went toe to toe with a paladin. There were deep shadows under her eyes and her shoulders slumped slightly. Yang's semblance flared in anger and with a hard shove Blake fell to the ground.

"What the heck Yang!?" She cried in a mixture of shock and anger. The blonde also caught a glimpse of hurt in her eyes.

Yang tried to help her to her feet but she was refused. "Blake you can't even defend yourself from me much less Roman Torchwick. You haven't slept all week and you barely eat. How do you expect to protect me if you can't even protect yourself?"

"What?" Blake asked confused.

"We're partners Blake." Yang's semblance died down and her voice softened. "We're responsible for each other. Your fight with the White Fang includes me now whether you like it or not."

Blake shook her head. "No Yang this is my-"

"No!" Yang shouted stunning the girl. "Haven't you figured it out by now? We're your friends Blake. We're on your side."

Blake stared at her wide eyed before turning away.

"I'm sorry alright. I'm just used to doing things on my own. I don't like seeing my friends get hurt."

"You getting hurt would hurt us Blake."

"Yeah but I'm the only one who walked away with barely a scratch. You passed out afterward, Weiss got shot, and your sister is still sore."

"And we would go through it all again."

Blake was silent afterwards. Deep down she knew her teammates felt this way, but she hadn't given them the chance to say it. Once they said it she knew there was no going back. They would follow her to the ends of Remnant in pursuit of the White Fang. "Thanks." Was all she could manage.

"Don't mention it."

Blake wiped her eyes then clapped her hands together. "Where were we going again?"

Yang sighed remembering. "Weiss and Ruby thought it would be a 'brilliant' idea to have a sparing match in a training room so we're going to meet them in room 5 and make sure they don't kill each other."

"You're really going to let them go through with it? Isn't that kind of a bad idea?"

"Ruby needs to blow off some steam." Yang said sighing. "After the paladin fight Weiss and I have been busy preparing the dance while you were off hiding in the library. Ruby was left by herself and I think she blames herself for us getting hurt, you especially.

"Me? Why me? I walked away just fine."

"Because is was her plan with the haste glyph that nearly got you killed. She'd been planning that for so long and she ended up putting Weiss in danger and you a sitting target. It wasn't her fault but I know it's in her head. I told her to stop worrying about it, that even though her plan didn't work she still got us out alive."

Blake nodded. "We haven't exactly been supporting of your sister have we?"

"We've been supporting of Ruby, but not our team leader. It's hard not to look at her as my baby sister. Even with a six foot scythe I still see her as the little girl stealing strawberries from the garden." They both chuckled. "Why don't we go make sure our teammates don't kill each other. I'll even tell you a story that'll but your books to shame."

"I doubt that but okay." Blake followed Yang.

* * *

Ruby and Weiss were in the locker room when their teammates arrived. Weiss was reloading Myrtenaster on a bench while Ruby was fastening her cape on with cross pendants. Not for the first time Yang and Blake wondered how the two could fight in such awkward attire. Their combat skirts aside, Weiss wore heels but neither girl had seen the heiress misstep even in battle. Ruby of course wore her cape everywhere she went and even occasionally slept with it, which Yang thought was adorable. In their short time at Beacon the cape had nearly gotten her killed by both a Deathstalker and a paladin. Yang knew there was no way her sister would ever give up her hood but she feared the heirloom would cost her someday. Neither Blake nor Weiss knew the full story of the cape but they knew it was special somehow.

Ruby seemed a little surprised to see Blake and made it a point to wave so the faunus awkwardly waved back.

"Are you two sure this is a good idea?" Yang was hoping to talk some sense into the girls. "The rec room is still open. Why don't we go shoot some pool or play some foosball?" Even Yang knew how lame that sounded.

The caped-girl shook her head. "Sorry sis, but our minds are made up."

Weiss nodded in agreement. "Don't worry Yang we won't do anything crazy. This is just a friendly sparring match."

"I've seen you two spar." Yang said evenly. "And friendly isn't how I'd describe it."

"But it always ends with me as the winner." Ruby cheered but it was only a playful jab at Weiss.

"Hmp, we'll just see about that. You can't disappear in a cloud of roses like you normally do and I don't need my semblance to work Myrternaster."

"I'm speedy enough without a trail of roses but I'll have you know I have more than enough aura to use my semblance."

Yang rolled her eyes. "Just try not to kill each other. It'll be hard replacing the _R_ and _W _of team RWBY." She grabbed Blake by the wrist and led the way out of the locker room.

"And don't do anything stupid." Yang realized how futile those words were. "I mean dangerous!"

Yang practically dragged Blake to the benches.

"They'll be fine," Her partner pointed out. "If things get out of hand we can always call the match."

"Yeah I know." Her shoulders slumped.

"Why are you so nervous now? You weren't this bad a few minutes ago."

"That was before I saw the _Grimm Reaper_ and _Ice Queen _gearing up."

"Don't worry. I'm sure Weiss can handle herself." They both smirked. They knew full well how skilled the fencer was. Creating glyphs for three people had tired the girl out in the beginning but now she was strong enough to support all three of them and her skills in singles combat had only gotten better as her aura increased.

Speaking of the heiress, Weiss marched out of the locker room door followed by the caped-girl. They took their positions on the starting blocks and readied their weapons. Weiss put her left foot forward and assumed a defensive stance. Although they had agreed that Ruby would be defending Weiss knew Ruby would strike first. She simply couldn't help it.

Ruby pulled her hood up shielding her face. Whatever emotion the caped-girl was feeling was hidden from her teammates. She positioned Crescent Rose behind her with her left arm domination her grip. Yang scowled. It wasn't uncommon for her sister to fight left handed but it seemed her injury was still bothering her.

She took a deep breath and trusted her team's judgement. "Begin!" The blonde yelled.

Crescent Rose fired and Ruby charged Weiss as they had all expected. Weiss avoided the swing by ducking and tried to go for a stab but the back of the scythe easily blocked it. The heiress had learned that dodging Crescent Rose was preferable over blocking it. Because Ruby never wasted momentum all that energy would be absorbed by her opponent when she struck. It could exhaust someone in only a couple of blows. Weiss had seen it and felt it first hand many times.

Weiss struck again but Ruby was already gone. Crescent Rose had fired and shot Ruby back to her starting position where she took a defensive position and waited. The heiress activated Myrtenaster's cylinder and the weapon was set ablaze. She charged and Yang covered her eyes. Seeing a friend charge at her sister with a flaming sword instinctively made her semblance activate.

"It'll be okay Yang." Blake said with a soft voice and Yang's semblance died down.

Blake watched on as the partners fell into the greweling pattern of familiarity. Both girls knew each other so well it was only natural. The only difference was that Ruby was not used to fighting defensively or without her semblance and Weiss was much more used to defense. But that made very little difference in such close combat.

Weiss had told Blake about her private tutors and how she had won the _Atlas Fencing Junior Championship _the year prior and it showed. The heiress was precise in her strikes and was graceful even while wielding a flaming sword, but she couldn't help but be even more impressed with the fifteen year old girl who skipped two years of combat training to join the most elite huntsmen academy on Remnant. Ruby could hold her own even when she wasn't at her best against a champion fencer.

"Wow." Was all Blake could say.

"You're telling me." Yang said in awe.

"What was that story you were going to tell me?" Blake didn't know if she could concentrate on a story while one of the greatest exhibitions were taking place in front of her but she thought she'd humor the blonde.

Yang waited a moment as if remembering. The caped-girl spinning a scythe around seemed like a different person than she was used to.

"It's the story of two sisters growing up on the Isle of Patch." That got her partner's attention. "The younger of the girls grew up with her mother in a small village in the mountains called Patchwork. The mother's name was Summer Rose and she was the baker of cookies and huntress of huntresses. Or at least she had been."

Blake held on to every word as she realized who the two girls were. In the near four months she had known the siblings they had rarely ever mentioned growing up. That was a topic in the same folder as Blake's time with the White Fang and Weiss' family. It was a subject considered off limits.

"The older girl lived with her father in an academy to train huntsmen. She lost her mother when she was only two years old and only knew what she looked like from photographs.

Blake felt the blonde's pain so she wrapped an arm around her. She had no idea Yang had lost her mother.

"The girl's father was heart broken at the love of his life leaving him and Summer was just as heartbroken losing her best friend. Another man named Qrow was just as heartbroken to lose his sister but he filled his heart with anger. The other two filled theirs with each other and passion. One day Summer announced she was pregnant and when the baby was born everyone smiled again." Yang herself smiled at the memory. Even Blake smiled.

"But…" She stuttered. "But after the baby was born the girl's father and mother couldn't get along. Summer had seen so many of her friends die as a huntress that she couldn't stand the thought of her only daughter becoming one. She did what she thought was best and left with her baby. She wanted to take the other girl with her but she wasn't her's to take. Summer found a peaceful village in Patchwork where the nearest Grimm was a hundred miles away."

"The two sisters would see each other occasionally when the older girl didn't have school. Sometimes she would go and stay with her younger sister in the chilly mountains and build snowmen all year round and sometimes the younger sister would come to the beaches where the older sister lived and build sand castles. It wasn't perfect and it certainly wasn't normal but they were happy." A tear dropped from her face.

"But one day eight years ago a Beowolf pack attacked the village in Patchwork. No one knew how they got there but they slaughtered the village. Summer as a former huntress fought to protect her friends and locked the little girl in her bedroom and hid her under a blanket. She didn't even get out of the strawberry garden before they swarmed her."

Blake covered her mouth in shock as tears filled her eyes. Yang's semblance had activated some time before but she still felt cold.

"Three days later the huntsmen of the school realized something was wrong and put together a team. What they found was chaos. Hundreds of adult Beowolves fighting each other looking for food, the village covered in bloody snow, and almost entirely burned to the ground. After they were done fighting they made their way to Summer's cottage and they found her body…"

Yang didn't finish. She hung her head so her mane covered her face. Her semblance died down some. Now it barely felt like a candle compared to the radiator earlier. Blake's heart felt like it stopped. She didn't know if she should tell Yang to stop or to keep going.

"They found Ruby in her bedroom." She whispered. "She was curled up in a ball under her bed. The Beowolves had ransacked an entire village but had never found her."

A moment of silence fell between them. It felt like their hearts stopped. Both glanced up to see the caped-girl block the flaming rapier with her scythe.

"That doesn't make sense." Blake shook her head bewildered "Grimm can sense fear and anger, especially Beowolves. How did she stay hidden?"

"That's just it. My dad says when he and Qrow found her she was practically catatonic. The reason why they didn't sense her was because she wasn't feeling anything. She was in shock. For weeks she was like that. It was like she was an empty shell not talking and barely eating. I still don't think she's fully grasped what happened.

"That's awful." Blake cried.

Yang nodded but pointed at the hooded girl who fought off another barrage of strikes.

"She got better as time went on. She enrolled into Signal and being with kids her own age helped a lot. Qrow took Ruby under his wing because he and my mom had been through something similar when they were kids. He was there for us when our dad wasn't. He broke down after Summer's funeral. He had already lost one wife, he couldn't take losing another."

"I don't know what to say Yang." Blake said feeling helpless.

Yang smiled. "Don't worry about it. My dad got better and he wasn't always 'not there'. He'd occasionally snap back and Qrow was always there for us. Plus Ruby and I had each other. It wasn't all bad times growing up. Ruby and I had a lot of fun together at Signal. And now we're on the same team at the most prestigious academy on Remnant and my sister is it's captain. That's about as good as a fairy tale I've heard. You?"

"Yeah it ranks right up there."

They watched in peace as Weiss and Ruby were still going at it. Both girls were covered in sweat and breathing heavily. The heiress still hadn't figured out a way past the caped-girl's guard. The back of Crescent Rose would block all attempts from Myrtenaster no matter what dust coating Weiss used.

When Weiss happened to get past her guard Crescent Rose would fire down at the ground sending dirt and smoke into the heiress' eyes and Ruby into the air. From there she would do two things. One is land safely back at the starting position and wait for Weiss to attack again, or what Weiss had learned to fear. Ruby would activate Crescent Rose' 'harvest mode' where the blade would go from facing the caped-girl to angling towards Weiss. She'd then shoot up and drive the scythe into Weiss with so much force Weiss had no choice but use an ice glyph just so her arms didn't break.

It was frustrating for the heiress to know victory against the caped-girl meant dealing one hard blow which she had incapable of doing so far. Ruby's defensive aura at the best of times was below average but with her injuries Weiss knew she could end the fight if she could get in her guard and deal a blow, but that was easier said than done. She had rarely ever laid a scratch on her partner during a match.

The heiress gritted her teeth as once again she found herself past the scythe and like so many times before Ruby launched herself into the air. Weiss prepared for the strike by chambering her white dust container, the one she saved for emergencies. Her aura was nearly depleted so she had to make this count. She wouldn't get another chance at this.

The familiar cry of Crescent Rose' blade changing position alerted Weiss that her moment had come. The heiress launched into the air with a white glyph under her feet. Myrtenaster began to glow white as ice appeared around her.

_You excel at wasting time Ruby Rose. _She thought as Ruby sliced right where Weiss had been standing.

Using her partner's own tactic against her she used one last glyph to rocket herself towards Ruby whose blade still had not been raised yet. Myrtenaster was about to pierce the caped-girl's cloak when she burst into rose petals.

_No!_ Her eyes went wide. She had seen this a dozen times.

Weiss spun knowing Ruby was coming and there was nothing she could do. The sound of Crescent Rose and Myternaster rang throughout the training room and through the halls. Both girls gritted their teeth as both refused to surrender.

BBRRRNNNGG!

Weiss looked down at her wrist to see her aura had fallen into the red and the alarm had sounded. She sheathed her weapon and fell onto the ground exhausted. A moment later the caped-girl's alarm went off and she followed suit.

"Good...Fight...Ruby…"

"Yeah...You...Too…"

Both girls stared at the ceiling out of breath and waiting for some of their aura to recharge. From the stands Blake and Yang were in awe of what had transpired. It had been a stunning finish.

"I knew they'd take it too far." The blonde griped but she was shaking her head in disbelief.

"Our teammates are something else Yang, and your sister is amazing."

Yang wiped away a tear. "You know why I told you that story don't you?"

Blake nodded. "I do. Thank you."

"I'm not asking you to stop chasing the White Fang, I want you to know that. Ruby is chasing something that is right in front of her and I'm looking for answers of what happened to my mom. But you can't let this obsess you. Trust me, I know from experience." Blake nodded and took her partner's sage like advice to heart.

"It won't happen again."

"Good." She smiled. "Oh look they're getting up. Hopefully that means that means they don't need a doctor."

The two combatants leaned against each other for support before sitting on the bleachers. There they nearly passed out from exhaustion.

"Hey guys," Yang said standing up. "I'll go get some drinks to help refill those aura tanks. Be back in a minute."

"Sure." Was all Ruby and Weiss could muster.

Blake gave Yang a knowing look. There had been a cooler full of drinks right by the blonde's foot but she knew her partner needed a moment to herself.

"Hey Blake?" The caped-girl asked out of breath.

"Yeah Ruby?"

"What was Yang mad at earlier?"

"Mad? What do you mean?" Blake's eyebrow raised.

"During the fight, I felt Yang's semblance start up. Did I do something wrong?" Ruby sounded worried.

Weiss snorted. "Ruby you fought just fine don't worry about that." The heiress was likely to be sore for days.

"How did you know her semblance was active?" Blake might have been stalling for time but she was honestly curious.

"Every time Yang's semblance activates I get flashbacks to the time Yang threatened to kill me for spilling ketchup in her hair. Plus I could smell burning hair." Ruby chuckled.

"That's what that smell was!" Weiss cried. "I thought I was going crazy."

"So what was she upset about?" Ruby asked again.

"Um-uh-well-you-see," Blake stammered.

"Was it about you and the White Fang?"

"No. I mean yes!" Blake had found her way out.

"Blake you can't keep obsessing over the White Fang."

"I know Ruby."

"You hardly sleep, you hardly eat, and we hardly ever see you any more."

"I know Ruby." Blake couldn't help but laugh at how excitable her leader was.

"We're your teammates. You can come to us for anything. We have your back."

"Thanks Ruby, and I know."

"And you-" She paused. "You know?" Ruby had expected this to last longer.

"Yang and I talked it out and I'm sorry. I haven't exactly been the best teammate lately. I understand where you and Yang come from now." Blake was being more literal than Ruby realized.

As Ruby pondered on her words Yang stepped in with a plate over her head.

"I've got cookies." She yelled.

In a flash Ruby was off the bleachers and running to her sister. In her hurry she knocked over Weiss how had been leaning against her for support.

"Sorry Weiss! Cookies!"

"You're going to pay for that dolt!" She promised.

Blake laughed at the antics of her teammates. They sure were interesting. She looked down at the heiress and saw her eyes staring back.

"What's wrong Weiss?"

"I'm glad to see you smiling again Blake, but what were you and Yang talking about?"

"I told you the White Fang."

"You may be able to fool _Captain Cookie_ over there." She pointed to where Ruby was shoving cookies down her throat. "But you can't fool me. So spill."

Blake looked over to make sure Ruby couldn't hear.

"Yang told me about life at Patch with Ruby." She whispered.

Weiss' eyebrows raised in surprise.

"And I've learned I've got to stop going about things by myself."

"Good, glad to hear." She smiled genuinely. "Anything I should know about my partner."

They glanced back at the girl who had at least a dozen cookies in her mouth while trying to talk to her sister. They both laughed.

"It's not for me to tell you. Ruby will tell you when she's ready. Just promise me you'll wait for her to tell you."

Weiss stared back at Blake with her icy but very gentle eyes.

"Okay, I promise."

"Thank you." She said relieved.

"Now how about we get some cookies before Ruby eats them all."

"Sounds good." She helped Weiss up and let her lean on her while they went to celebrate Ruby's victory.

* * *

**(A/N: So how was it? I wanted to shift some of the focus off of Blake while still finishing her character progression and transfer it to Ruby and the rest of the team. I thought this was a happy compromise. We get a fight scene and we learn about the siblings past. I wanted to have a little bit of fairy tale motif while Yang was telling the story but I didn't want to go too far. I hope you enjoyed their back-story and the changes I made. I assure you there will be more to come. Thank you everyone for the feedback, you don't know how happy you guys make me. A kind word goes a long way. Thank you for reading. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior who has made all of this possible. God bless)**

"


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Yellow Rainbow

* * *

**(A/N: First I just want to say thank you guys for reading this far and for all the comments, I appreciate them all. You guys are fantastic. I just wanted to take a moment to address some of the comments about the last chapter with the sister's background.** **Now as for Yang's mother being dead I wrote no such thing, and even if it is hinted at remember at this point in the story we don't know about Raven or even if she is her mother. I wanted to make the status of Yang's mother more vague than anything. Is she dead or is she alive? What does Yang believe? More on that in a few arcs. As for why I separated the sisters it's because I believe every character should have their own anchor that ties them to the story. Weiss' is her family/company and Blake's is the White Fang obviously. I wanted Ruby's to be the relationship with her mother seeing how the first glimpse we get of her is at her mom's grave/memorial. I wanted this relationship separate from Yang as much as possible. Yang's anchor is more complex. She said herself she's just going with the flow. I honestly just wanted to emphasize this more. Yang and Ruby weren't separated all the time nor were they separated for a long time. I just wanted to make my intentions clear. Thank you everyone for reading and the feedback, I really do appreciate it. Now sit back and enjoy some Jaune and Pyrrha.)**

* * *

Metal clashed against metal atop the Beacon Academy dorm. Sword against sword, shield against shield, and friend against friend. The combatants were trading blows move for move as if they were mirrors of each other.

Pyrrha thrust her sword at Jaune's chest but it was easily parried by the young knight who swung back wildly. The amazon blocked his attempt but was sent staggering back by the sheer power of the swing. Pyrrha was once again impressed with her partner's strength. What Jaune lacked in experience he more than made up for with power and tenacity, and with all the training they had been through together his sword play was beginning to rival her own. He had sparred against her dozens of times and seen first hand dozens of her matches so his style was naturally influenced by hers. Unfortunately that also meant Pyrrha had a greater understanding of his fighting style than he did.

Jaune rushed in looking to capitalize on his mentor's lost ground by trying to bully the amazon's guard away with his shield. He had found success in the past by using his greatest defense as his best guard break. Due to his raw power and heavy shield he could force his opponent to cover their upper torso while strategically waiting for an opportunity to strike his opponent's exposed lower half with his longer reaching sword. The problem however was that Pyrrha had also taught him this technique. The amazon knowing she was in trouble instinctively spun away and kicked his legs out from under him. In seconds he was on his back and a sword was against his throat.

"Okay, okay I give." He cried.

"Very good Jaune." Pyrrha gasped. "Your parries are getting much faster and your charges are absolutely ruthless." She sheathed her sword and extended a hand which he graciously accepted.

"You're still better." Jaune smiled despite the loss. He had fared longer than usual in this duel and had long since checked his ego out the door when facing Pyrrha Nikos.

The amazon motioned for him to sit with her by the ledge and he obliged. Reaching into a cooler she handed him a drink specifically made to replenish aura before taking one herself.

"Don't sell yourself short Jaune. I assure you my shield arm was ready to drop just so I didn't have to take another one of your swings."

"Yeah well your shield arm is tired while my entire right side is ready for a hot bath. Your kind of obsessed with shield bashes today aren't you?"

"Hmm, call it a whim."

"And don't forget I'm your sixth opponent today and we've been going at it for an hour."

"Fifth opponent." She corrected. "Mercury doesn't count."

"Why not? A win's a win."

"He forfeited and got exactly what he wanted."

"And that would be?"

Pyrrha sighed. "I'm not exactly sure, but I don't trust him. He was a very skilled fighter and class was about to end anyways. He had no reason to forfeit."

"Or to even be in class. Ruby said he's a second year at Haven. I bet the only reason he came was to scout the competition."

"I think you're right Jaune but I think we should keep an eye on him. Something doesn't feel right about him."

"I can agree with that." He said grinning. "Nothing is going to stop us from going to the finals."

"Look at you finally finding some optimism." She chuckled "Been hanging out with Ruby too much haven't you?" She gave him a playful nudge.

"No!" He said embarrassed. "I mean a little. I took some cues from Ruby and I've been following your advice."

Pyrrha nodded. She was glad to see some optimism in her partner's life for once.

"Our team has grown so much. Nora has a lot cooler head and doesn't just charge into battle anymore. Ren is using his aura and semblance for defense more. He used to channel so much aura in his palms it was like he walked around with no aura shield."

"And you have improved greatly Jaune. Your sword play is very good you know."

He blushed. "Thanks but my aura still isn't working on command." He said frustrated. "Ren and I are working at it but so far nothing."

"Don't worry. This is why we've been focusing so much on shield tactics in practice. We're both shield wielders so we're meant to fight shoulder to shoulder. You have two shields Jaune not just one."

"Which leads me to team JNPR's ace, Pyrrha Nikos."

This time it was her turn to blush. "That's nice of you to say but you know I don't see it like that."

"Well the rest of your team does and so does the rest of the school Pyrrha. Anyone of those guys would be lucky to take you to the dance. Everyone here knows your reputation."

"But I'm not going with them. I'm going with you and you've got your own reputation."

"Oh really? What are they saying?" He stammered.

"Only that you've somehow wooed the untamed amazon." Jaune blushed redder than Ruby's cloak. "And that you're lucky to have me as a dance partner, but what none of them realize is that you've been to more dances than I have."

"A dance with my cousin doesn't count Pyrrha."

"It's still one more dance than I've been too. Most boys are too intimidated by the four championships to even say hello."

"I think they're more intimidated by your good looks than anything." Jaune realized what he said and turned a brilliant shade of crimson.

"Thanks Jaune." She said slightly embarrassed.

It was quiet after that as the pair were too embarrassed to continue the conversation, but the blonde boy eventually gained the courage to speak.

"Pyrrha do you know why my family's symbol is the rainbow?" She shook her head. "The rainbow stands for the unconditional, unbreakable promise God made with one man and his family. My family chose the symbol as a way to show that they would keep the kingdom's safe every generation. Arc's never go back on their word Pyrrha. So I promise I'll be the best dance partner you've ever had."

"I don't know what to say Jaune." She truly was speechless.

"You don't have to say anything. I told you it's a unconditional, unbreakable promise."

"You two are so cute together!" Nora exclaimed jumping out from behind a door.

"NORA!" Ren cried. "I told you to be QUIET!"

"Oh man..." Jaune moped. Pyrrha only laughed and gave him a peck on the cheek.

* * *

**Beacon Academy Guest Dorms**

* * *

"So how was the scouting mission Emerald?" Cinder asked casually while sitting on the green haired girl's bed. She wore Mistral attire but not the uniforms Mercury and Emerald wore.

"Unimpressive and dull, except for Pyrrha Nikos that is. She could be a problem."

"Do tell." Cinder's eyes lit up in excitement.

"She's smart," Mercury said cutting in. He never lifted his eyes from the book he was reading. "She could read my attack pattern like a book. Plus there's her semblance. After she touched my boots her hand made my kick miss its mark just from grazing it. If I had to make a bet I'd say her semblance has something to do with magnetism. With her metal armor and weapons she could probably control her own movements but I didn't notice her aura ever go down. She only made small adjustments so I don't know how strong she actually is."

"She's got the entire school duped into thinking she's untouchable." Emerald laughed.

"Interesting, add miss Nikos to the list."

Emerald did as she was told and added Pyrrha's profile to a special folder on her scroll.

"She shouldn't be a problem," Mercury said. "At least for you. But Emerald and I wouldn't last very long. Between my metal boots and armor and Emerald's heavy pockets Nikos could probably send us to the ceiling for fun."

Emerald stuck her tongue out while flicking "her" lighter open.

"Don't worry Mercury." Cinder said putting an arm around him. "It isn't about over powering our enemy. It's about taking away their power just like they did to us."

"What about the team that destroyed Torchwick's new toy?" Emerald asked. "Do you want me to add them to the list?"

Cinder laughed. "I forgot about them. Let Roman deal with the pests. They're his problem not ours. A queen does not trouble herself with insects. She let's the exterminator do that for her."

Emerald looked at the clock and noticed how late it was. "Maybe you should go Cinder. If they catch you in here it won't look good."

Cinder smiled. "Yes I suppose a servant shouldn't be troubling two Haven's finest students this late at night. Besides," Her eyes lit up and Emerald could feel the temperature in the room drop. "I have a new dress to try on."

"I'm sure you'll be drop dead gorgeous." Mercury remarked. "But it isn't fair you get to have all the fun."

"Oh Mercury," She said caressing his cheek. "Don't worry you'll have your fun. A queen needs her butcher and soon you'll have an entire school to play with."

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading. I had debated on cutting this chapter but I liked the Pyrrha and Jaune scene so I decided to keep it and make it a bonus chapter for this week. For the record I don't count Jaune and Pyrrha as shipping as it's basically canon and a part of their characters. I made some changes here. I wanted to make Jaune less clueless while still keeping his character intact. I didn't really feel the need to make a love triangle or a misunderstanding between him, Pyrrha, Weiss, and Neptune. Sorry that JNPR haven't played major parts but I really like to focus on team RWBY. I also thought it would be fun to make Cinder a servant at Haven Academy. A "queen" posing as a servant girl just adds to the fairy tale motif to me. She is based off of Cinderella of course. Just my thoughts. All feedback is appreciated. Thank you for reading. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior who has made this possible. God bless)**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Before the Clock Strikes Midnight

* * *

The dance was set to begin in mere hours and the ballroom was a stunning sight to behold. Yang and Weiss had been hard at work the week prior putting on the final touches on the historic event. Of course most of the actual work had been done by team CFVY but the two girls had finished the job as well as put their own personal preferences ahead of their senior team's. All that it needed now was people.

Weiss and Yang were getting themselves together first as they were the hosts of the event and had to arrive early. Because they were an all girl team they shared a bathroom together but luckily it was extra large and had two sinks which were covered in makeup and hair products. Blake was sitting by the windowsill looking inconspicuous as she read. The faunus was excited for tonight but it was well hidden on her face. Only her teammates could catch the extra bounce in her step and the shine in her eyes. She would never admit it but she was glad Yang convinced her to go.

Ruby was happy to see her team in such a good mood after a hard week especially Blake. Her anxiety did rise however every time she looked down at her bruised shoulder. She hadn't realized until today that her dress exposed her shoulders which meant everyone would get a good look at it. Normally Ruby wouldn't care and would have even shown it off as a badge of honor, but despite her nature Ruby wanted to look good for the dance. She didn't want to be remembered as the girl with the black and blue shoulder.

"Omph. Hey!" Weiss cried as she was kicked out of the bathroom.

"Sorry Weiss but I've got to change." Yang's voice called from behind the door.

The heiress waited by the door looking indignant with her hair still only half done when she spied the caped-girl looking at her shoulder in a mirror with a sullen expression on her face. Weiss immediately felt sympathetic for her partner but also a little annoyed at Ruby's lack of problem solving skills.

"Your solution is staring you in the face Ruby." Weiss said rolling her eyes.

"What?" Ruby asked confused. She began to look at her reflection for the answer but could only see her face.

"It's a makeup mirror dolt."

"I still don't get it." Ruby said shaking her head. "What am I missing." The caped-girl rarely applied much makeup so Weiss wasn't surprised that her partner couldn't find the solution to her problem.

Weiss sighed and took a seat next to Ruby at the desk. She dug through a makeup kit before finding what she was looking for.

"This is tattoo concealer," She said simply. "I bought it awhile back to hide my scar. It should do the trick." She rubbed the concealer onto Ruby's shoulder and in seconds the bruise had nearly disappeared.

"We'll still have to add some color to your shoulder but it'll look just fine."

"Wow, thank you Weiss. That stuff's incredible." Ruby said amazed.

"Don't mention it. Now let's work on those eyebrows." Weiss grinned menacingly. Ruby shrieked as Weiss grabbed the tweezers.

Before the Ice Queen was done Ruby was ready to spill every secret and promised to never steal Weiss' binder again if it meant the torture ending. Blake became concerned when Weiss began laughing maniacally but quickly went back to her book.

"Weiss please no!"

* * *

**Several Hours Later**

* * *

The ballroom began filling up just as the sun was setting. Yang had taken the roll as greeter while Weiss made sure things ran smoothly from afar as well as taking pictures. They had decided when all their guests had arrived they would take part in the festivities, but until then they had people to greet and a dance to oversee.

"Oh you two look fantastic!" Yang cheered as Blake and Sun arrived. Blake was grinning confidently in a black dress as Sun mindlessly pulled at his tie which was stopped by a slap to the wrist.

"Why thank you Yang." Blake said with an elegant smile. "You look fantastic yourself."

"I know. Now go say hi to Weiss and Neptune before you start dancing. She'll want to take your picture."

"Will do, and thanks again Yang."

"Don't mention it. Oh, by the way have you seen Ruby?" She asked worried.

"She left before I did, but she looked a little unsteady in her heels."

Yang sighed. "Let's just hope she isn't laying in a ditch somewhere with a broken ankle." She waved them off so they could be on their way. The blonde wasn't too worried yet. She had expected her sister to arrive fashionably late. Yang wouldn't have been surprised if her sister was in the CCT next door causing trouble.

"Stupid lady stilts," Said a familiar voice. "How does Weiss walk in these things?"

"Ruby!" Her sister cried in joy seeing her sister in a red and black dress. "You look terrific. Hold still I wanna take a picture." Ruby smiled sheepishly as her sister fumbled with her scroll. Yang snapped the picture and jumped up and down in delight.

"My baby sister is all grown up." The blonde said tearfully. She couldn't believe the girl standing before her was Ruby. She looked several years older and had a radiance about her with the moon hanging behind her as the towering CCT rose from the ground.

_She looks so much like Summer._ Yang thought to herself.

"Now I need to get a picture with baby sis." She threw her arms around Ruby while smiling ear to ear.

"Stop it Yang you're embarrassing me." Ruby pleaded.

"Nonsense," The blonde chided but she released her sister on her request. She took one last look at her sister to engrave the moment in her memory before pointing upstairs.

"Go get your picture taken with Weiss up on the balcony. Blake and Sun should still be up there."

Ruby nodded and made the perilous climb up the staircase. If it hadn't been for the handrail the caped-girl was sure she would have tumbled down the steps. Before she could celebrate her conquest however she heard Weiss call her name. The heiress looked as though she was multitasking several jobs at once. She was taking pictures in one hand and directing guests with the other all the while carrying on a conversation with Blake and Sun.

The caped-girl walked over doing her best to look dignified wearing her "stupid lady stilts".

"Looking good Ruby." Sun said while giving her a thumbs up. "I've never seen you without your cape before. Isn't that the dress you normally wear?"

Blake elbowed Sun in the chest. "You look great Ruby. And no she isn't wearing her usual skirt." She glanced at Weiss and smiled. "That is a combat skirt and this is a dress." Sun rubbed the back of his head confused but grinned anyway. He didn't see a difference.

"Now if you'll excuse us, we haven't had our first dance yet." Blake hooked Sun's arm with her's before leading them down to the dance floor.

Weiss was surprised when she realized she was looking up to meet Ruby in the eyes. Normally she was just a hair taller than her younger partner but in heels Ruby inched past the heiress.

"You look great Ruby." She said taking a picture. "You really do."

"I feel naked without my hood and weapon." She complained.

"Forget about Crescent Rose and your hood." Weiss said seriously. "Go and enjoy tonight. Find a boy and dance with him. I'd offer Neptune but he's busy fixing of our ice sculptures someone broke."

"That's alright Weiss," She said backing away. "I think I'll just go see what's on the entree table."

"They're called horderves dolt." Weiss sighed. "Promise me you won't just baby sit the punch-bowl all night?"

Ruby nodded but she made a beeline downstairs for the punch-bowl. More than anything she just wanted a place to sit down and rest her feet but she knew that it was bad manners to sit at the horderve table so she simply shifted her weight from leg to leg from the safety of the punch-bowl. She must have stood there for over an hour making small talk with whoever wanted a glass of punch before they went back to dancing with their date. Ruby simply watched on in silence.

"Enjoying yourself?" A voice asked beside her.

"Oh Professor Ozpin," She breathed. "You scared me. Yes I'm enjoying myself." She took a sip from her glass.

"Apologies miss Rose, I simply saw one of my students looking rather grim in the corner. I take it dances do not suit you?" She shook her head. "Believe me I understand. I was never a very good dancer in my youth. I was too busy looking for adventures and grimm to slay. I'm sure you understand."

"Completely Professor." She would much rather risk her life fighting a Nevermore than risking her life in heels anyday.

"I was chasing something that wasn't hard to find and missed out on something rarely found." Ruby furrowed her brow trying to understand. "I must apologize for taking you away from your friends and school miss Rose. I'm sure it hasn't been easy moving ahead two years."

"It hasn't exactly been easy Professor but I wouldn't change it for the world. I've wanted to join your academy since I was a little girl. Now I'm two years closer to becoming a huntress."

"It seems I didn't give you much of a choice then. I'm afraid you've had to grow up quickly miss Rose so take it from someone who never learned to dance as a child. Go have some fun."

With that sentiment the headmaster strolled away whistling. Ruby was all too aware of the cane the headmaster used to keep his balance. Dancing did not come easily anymore.

As Ruby contemplated his words another professor stood beside her.

"Professor Goodwitch!?"

The professor poured herself a cup of punch and snapped her head back as she drained it all in one go.

"He's right you know." She said with her brow raised.

"Hm?"

"Enjoy nights like tonight. They don't last forever and you'll miss them when they're gone." She poured another drink and finished it off. "Now if you'll excuse me miss Rose I must return to General Ironwood before he realizes I'm gone." She walk off and Ruby could hear her muttering to herself.

Ruby shook her head in the bewilderment of the situation. Glancing around she could see all her teammates and friends dancing. The guests had all arrived so Yang and Weiss were dancing with their partners. She didn't recognize the boy Yang was dancing with but then again she hadn't recognized the other three either. Team JNPR were the main attraction though and she couldn't help but smile as they disregarded all humility as they danced. People gathered just to watch their synchronized moves and applauded. Ruby wished she had half the courage her sister team did. She hated the spotlight and didn't care for crowds either. So having a crowded dance floor with a spotlight would have been a nightmare for her.

Ruby knew this wasn't the place for her. All her friends and even her professors had told her to go have some fun but she wouldn't have any fun here. Looking out a window though Ruby had an idea. The CCT was basking in the moonlight inviting her to come and visit. It was like an open invitation.

The thought of seeing the city from atop the tallest tower in Vale filled the caped-girl with excitement she normally reserved for dessert and battle. Her problem however was leaving undetected from her teammates. One of them would surely see her leave and follow or notice her absence.

_I'll be back before you notice. _She promised.

Ruby glanced toward the back door but she knew that was a no go. Professor Port had taken residence by the exit and one poor student had been sucked into one of his story's. As much as she disliked dancing Ruby did not want to spend the rest of her night hearing a story about Port riding shirtless into battle and saving the day.

Instead she set her sights on the front doors where everyone could see her. Moving slowly and stealthily was against Ruby's nature. She wanted to disappear leaving only a few rose petals to remember her by. But despite her nature Ruby found herself nearing the doors the stole a quick glance back at her friends having fun. She wasn't jealous that her friends were having a good while she wasn't, nor did she feel sorry for herself. This simply wasn't her place.

"Hey Ruby," Someone behind her called. "What's up?"

Ruby turned horrified.

"Oh hey Jaune, not much." Ruby tried to keep her voice low so Blake's cat hearing didn't catch her and she tried her best to hide her displeasure of Jaune saying her name so loudly. "Nice dance moves back there." Jaune was out of breath and sweating but he was grinning ear to ear.

"Thanks my sisters taught me and Ren is surprising good at choreographing dance moves."

"I thought you said you couldn't dance?"

"That was just an excuse and honestly having the right dance partner helps. I've known how to dance since I was five. My sisters used to put me in a dress while we practiced."

"Umm…" Ruby stumbled awkwardly.

"And I'm having so much fun I don't even care if you know I wore a dress. GUESS WHAT EVERYONE, I JAUNE ARC WORE A DRESS WHILE MY SISTERS TAUGHT ME TO DANCE!"

He may have had a smile on his face and a shameless attitude tonight but Ruby turned scarlet and wished she had a hood to hide under. Instead she hid behind her friend as he shouted to the heavens and prayed no one saw her.

"That's uh…" She stumbled. "That's great Jaune. Why don't you go talk to Pyrrha." She pointed towards the punch bowl where the amazon was smiling and holding two glasses of punch. He nodded and practically skipped his way to her.

_He's like a giant st. bernard puppy. _She thought happily. _Good for him._

When she finally reached the open doors Ruby glanced back to make sure no one was watching. Sun was looking in her direction but she couldn't tell if he was looking at her or the yellow zoot suit wearing Professor Oobleck. She smiled as if to say "I'm just getting some fresh air, be back in a few", before turning around and making her way down the steps and towards the CCT.

The tower was gorgeous at night with its lights on. It reminded Ruby of a Christmas tree and lucky for her she would be going where the star sat. But the closer she got to the tower the more she was filled with a sense of dread. Only the outdoor lights were on, not the indoor lights.

_No, please no. _She pleaded._ Don't be closed I just want a quick peek._

Her movement picked up as rose petals fell from her dress. She still stumbled of course due to her heels but it wasn't long before the intimidating doors were before her.

_I know it's late but please be open._

Her hand reached out for the door handle and when it made contact she pushed. Nothing. She pressed even harder. Still nothing.

She banged her head against the glass in frustration.

"I just wanted to see the city!" She yelled at the tower. "Is that so wrong!"

_Back to the punchbowl I guess…_

Just as she turned to leave she noticed a sign on the door.

"Pull to open."

She naturally hit her head on the glass again.

_Dolt! _She thought immediately. _Under no circumstance is Weiss to know about this._

She pulled the door open easily and she was greeted by cool air conditioning and the slight hum of electronics. The front entrance had terminals off to the sides where people could gather and talk. It reminded her of a hotel lobby. When she reached the information desk she was disappointed but not surprised to see that a hologram wasn't there to greet her. Ruby figured the tower must turn off all nonessential systems at night as half of the lights were off and the terminals were in sleep mode. She made her way across the marble floor and entered an elevator adjacent to the front desk.

Once inside it took a moment for Ruby to realize the elevator must also have it's AI program turned off so she had to push the button manually. "Top floor!" She cried happily. She would have to come back during the day so she could do it for real. Curiously Ruby saw a military grade scroll left in the terminal.

_Maybe someone lost it?_ She asked herself. _Or maybe the guards just leave them so they can move around more easily?"_ At the thought of guards Ruby grew anxious but calmed herself quickly. _If I wasn't supposed to be here the front doors would have been locked. Even if they kick me out I'll still be able to see the city._

The elevator slowed and she started to shake with anticipation.

"I'll get to see the city at midnight. This is going to be so awesome!"

Then the doors opened…

* * *

**(A/N: I hope you enjoyed. I wanted to keep the focus on Ruby so there wasn't much JNPR to be seen. I also decided to ditch the Neptune and Jaune conversation as it didn't fit my story. Next chapter is going to be a little more mature than the rest of the chapters so keep that in the back of your mind. Like I've said this is a little more of a serious than the show but next chapter will have some blood. I'm excited for it and I hope you are too. Thank you everyone who has been supportive of this story. It means a lot to me. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless)**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Midnight Masquerade

* * *

_BING!_

The automated doors opened and the caped-girl was awed by the west side of Vale and all the spectacular lights. She could even see twinkling from the Isle of Patch dancing in the distance almost calling her home. If Ruby looked hard enough she thought she could see Signal.

_Beacon is my home now. _She thought. _Not Signal and not Patchwork._

Ruby realized she wasn't even in the main room yet wanted to explore every nook and cranny of the floor. She ran into the visitor's room to get another look of the city but was stopped in her tracks. A soldier lay on the ground unconscious.

The caped-girl's breath caught in the back of her throat. "S-Sir are you alright?"

She ran to his side but her heels caused her to trip. She tossed the shoes aside and checked his pulse. He was breathing but just barely.

"It's going to be okay." She promised. "I'm going to find help."

Ruby jumped up and ran back to the entrance. She pushed the button for the elevator to come but it didn't make a noise. She pounded on the doors hoping to get it's attention. Seeing no other option she started down the main hall. If she could turn the main computer back online it might let her out.

Before Ruby entered the room however she was greeted by a familiar scent and was paralyzed with fear. The air smelt like copper or rust.

"Oh no…" Ruby gasped as she saw three bodies on the floor covered in blood.

_Not again..._

Ruby wanted nothing more than to hide under her hood like when she was a kid but continued on despite her fear.

She avoided the puddle of blood by climbing atop the information desk as the thought of walking through someone's blood barefoot disturbed her greatly. She put her hand atop a desktop scroll and noticed a bullet hole. In fact as she gazed about the room she saw many bullet holes. Unbeknownst to the caped-girl her huntress training kicked in as a pattern was forming in her mind.

_Most of the bullet holes are in that corner which probably means that's the origin point. _She reasoned. _Someone rushed the soldiers darting right and left before attacking. _

It sickened her to see the lifeless bodies of the guards but it was made easier that Ruby couldn't see their faces under the helmets. They almost looked like robots under their armor but she knew better. The only comfort she received was that by the location and size of their wounds the soldiers had died quickly. Whatever stabbed them however was incredibly strong and its wielder had a crazy amount of aura to penetrate Mark VII armor. Even Crescent Rose would have trouble accomplishing such a task.

Ruby bent down and picked up a fallen soldier's rifle as whoever had done this could still be in the dimly lit room. She used a moment to get accustomed to the new weapon's weight. An ARC-70 was standard issue in the military and Ruby had handled them countless times at Signal. She had very nearly modeled Crescent Rose on it before settling on a sniper rifle.

The caped-girl checked to make sure the weapon was cocked and had ammo before letting her barefeet touch the ground again. She aimed her rifle at the information desk on the opposite side of the room as that was the best place to hide. Without warning she opened fire and a black figure jumped out. She let go of the trigger but never let the murderer out of her crosshairs.

She could tell the intruder was a woman from her figure even with a mask obscuring her face. She wore a black outfit with a belt strapped around her waist that Ruby recognized as a combat dust container similar to the one her partner wore. But what stood out the most was the Grimm mask. It reminded her of the White Fang masks but larger and more detailed and depicted a smiling Beowolf. It made Ruby shudder at the uncanny likeness.

"The police are on the way!" She yelled as sharply as she could. "Give up or else." The smiling Beowolf tilted it's head as if it were mocking her. The caped-girl knew it was a waste of time trying to bluff. The woman had just killed three soldiers. No fifteen year old girl wearing a dress was going to intimidate this monster.

The woman charged and Ruby opened fire and just as she suspected the intruder darted back and forth dodging her bullets. Her dust containers opened but Ruby was surprised to see they were only filled with sand. The woman held out a hand setting the sand aflame creating a black sword for each hand.

_That's obsidian! _ Ruby cried to herself. With this woman's aura Ruby had little doubt it could cut through almost anything not aura protected. Her dress began to feel even thinner.

The woman continued her charge this time deflecting the bullets and Ruby immediately used her semblance to get away. All she could do was hope to stall her long enough for help to arrive. Without Crescent Rose she was a sitting duck.

Once again the woman charged and Ruby sped to the other side of the room for safety.

The Beowolf mask nodded as if impressed and opened her sand container spilling it across the floor.

_What is she doing? _

The woman created a flame glyph between her swords and drove them into the sand which turned to jagged glass and scattered across the room. Ruby jumped atop a table as red glass flew around her and let out an ear piercing cry so loud Ruby had to cover her ears. Glass all around the room began shattering including the large ceiling to floor windows Ruby had so desperately wanted to see out of. The entire room was covered in glass including the caped-girl.

Ruby shielded her face but could feel the glass cut her exposed skin. Her aura absorbed most of it but she hadn't expected an attack like that. She looked down and saw how every inch of the room was covered in sharp glass. When she raised her eyes the woman was already swinging for her head. She raised her gun in defense and the obsidian blades sent shockwaves through her arms as they landed. Ruby put all of her aura into the gun but even still the blades were slowly cutting their way to her skin.

By the time her gun had been nearly sawed in half the caped-girl felt her aura leaving her. Ruby was giving it her all but she suspected the woman was hardly trying. Ruby only saw one way out so she flared her semblance and held her breath. She dropped her gun just as it was torn apart and she dashed to the other side of the room when the most excruciating pain she had ever felt hit her. She landed on her knees and rolled across the floor in a ball.

"AAAAHHHHH!" She screamed.

She looked down at her feet and saw they were impaled by glass. Her soft feet had been cut to pieces. She yelled again as she pulled a large chunk from her left foot. As the shard was extracted she could feel a burning sensation. Looking at the glass she could see traced of red dust. She cradled her foot in her hands but was interrupted from her misery by the sound of crunching glass. Ruby could only watch in horror as the Beowolf woman stalked her prey.

The caped-girl struggled to her knees as the executioner approached.

Ruby refused to let it end this way.

The woman took careful aim and cut through a cloud of rose petals. The girl disappeared but her cries from across the room clued the woman on her new location. She noticed blood smeared on the main computer and realized the caped-girl's plan.

Ruby didn't even try to hide the tears or the whimpers as she landed on the glass. She had left a bloody trail across the room to the entrance of the elevators. The pain was unimaginable. Once again Ruby heard the sound of her executioner coming for her. In one last act of desperation Ruby reached out will all her aura left and flared her semblance. She waved an arm and hundreds of shards of glass flew towards the masked woman as if a great gust of wind blew them.

A fire appeared and the glass was turned into tiny fragments that sparkled in the light as they fell. Ruby couldn't help but be in awe of their beauty and cruelty.

_It's a Beowolf just like before. It's almost fitting isn't it Mom?_

The woman kept getting closer and Ruby could only stare into the soulless eyes of the monster. The woman readied her arm.

_BING_!

The elevator doors opened but the caped-girl was at the monster's mercy.

"Stop!" General Ironwood cried. They both looked up to see the general and five men beside him all with rifles pointed at the masked woman's chest.

"Don't move or we will shoot! Now drop your weapons!"

The woman complied but Ruby could hear her giggle. She turned to the caped-girl and glanced at her feet.

"I hope you enjoy the glass slippers." She said cruely. The woman's cloths burnt away leaving her in a dress that seemed to be on fire. "They suit you."

The men opened fire but the woman erupted in flames and all that was left was a pile of sand.

Ironwood instantly ran to Ruby's side yelling at his men to call a medic.

"Are you alright miss?" The general asked as he inspected her feet.

Ruby grimaced but nodded. She didn't trust herself to speak. Ironwood swept the glass away from a table before lifting her onto it. She yelped but kept her complaints to herself. She looked down and barely recognized her own feet under all the blood and glass.

_I hope you enjoy the glass slippers. _

She pulled at her cross necklace and held onto it fondly through her tears.

"Thank you." Ruby said warmly. For the second time in nearly a week she had stared death in the face and lived. Her grin faded however as another wave of pain hit her.

* * *

**Outside The Ballroom**

* * *

"What's going on?" Yang cried. "Where's Ruby?"

Her teammates scoured the dance floor but couldn't find the caped-girl.

"I don't know." Weiss said out of breath. "You don't think she was up there do you?"

All three girls stared at the source of the explosion with increasing dread. Ruby had always been obsessed with the CCT and now she was missing. They had heard the explosion from within the ballroom and ran outside with the rest of the students and staff to see what happened. General Ironwood had taken a squad of soldiers with him into the tower moments before while Professor Goodwitch led the students away.

Yang had tears in her eyes thinking of her sister being up there. She wanted so badly for her sister to have just gone home fed up with the dance.

The blonde felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see the headmaster with concerned eyes.

"Miss Xiao Long," He said in a hushed voice. "I'm afraid you and your teammates need to return to Beacon. Miss Rose has been in an accident."

"No…" Weiss whispered.

Yang lost all feeling in her body. This was all too familiar to her.

"Your sister is in stable condition but you need to return to the Beacon medical bay and wait for her there."

"What?" Yang asked confused. If Ruby was in the CCT that was where she was supposed to be. "Why does she need a doctor? She isn't sick."

Yang's mind wouldn't let her connect the dots between an explosion, Ruby, and a doctor.

"Yang," Blake said grabbing her hand. "We need to go. I'm sure Ruby will be alright. We'll see her back at Beacon." The faunus knew her partner wasn't thinking clearly. How could she? Yang cared for her sister more than anything.

The blonde nodded but hesitated. She didn't know where Beacon was. Her teammates led her back keeping their arms around and all silently wondered what trouble the caped-girl could have gotten herself into and if she was going to be alright.

* * *

**(A/N: The point of this chapter was for you to hate Cinder and I hope I succeeded. I also I hope I didn't go too far. I don't believe this is too dark. I wish to capture as much of the feeling of the show as I can while making it more serious and obviously putting my own twist on things. I hope I'm balancing things well for all of you. I thought about having Ruby call for Crescent Rose but I wanted to put her at as much of a disadvantage as possible. Without Crescent Rose Ruby's greatest weapon is her speed but Cinder takes that from her. Not only is that pretty villainous but pretty smart in my opinion. Thank you so much for reading and sticking with me. You guys are fantastic. Be sure to leave some feedback. I really appreciate it. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior who has made all of this possible. God bless)**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Glass Slippers

* * *

**(A/N: You people are awesome. Thank you for the tremendous support last chapter. I was really nervous about the changes I made and the tone shift. Thank you so much. Sit back and enjoy. God bless)**

* * *

Ruby winced as another shard of glass was extracted from foot. She felt like a pincushion from the amount of glass they had pulled out of her. She had two women standing behind her also pulling glass out of her back and shoulders. The chief medical officer had given her some kind of injection to numb the pain but all it did was make her sleepy.

The caped-girl's eyelids began to droop and her thoughts became murky. Before all reason left her however she asked the question that had been plaguing her for what felt like hours.

"Have you ever thought the emblem of Atlas looks like a big chocolate chip cookie?" She slurred.

"And that would be the sedative." One of them said offhandedly. "It's about time."

"Sedative?" Ruby asked confused. "You said it was a pain killer."

A man nodded and grinned. "It's both ma'am. We can't move you in your current condition. We're actually surprised you've stayed awake this long."

As if on cue her body went limp and the women caught her. After a small mumbling about sugar tasting delicious she was snoring.

Ozpin smiled despite his dark mood while Ironwood shook his head in disbelief.

"And you're sure she's only fifteen years old?" He asked.

Beacon's headmaster nodded.

"I'll trade you six paladins and a crate of Atlesian coffee for you to send her up north Ozpin."

"Sorry general no deal."

"Very well then." He turned to his old friend and updated him on her health. "She should be alright. My men gave her a sedative so they can transport her back to Beacon easily. I don't see any reason why she should have to endure the flight back."

"The sedative won't last." Ozpin informed. "Her Signal medical reports say her aura has a history of fighting all kind of medicines. I'd hurry if I were you."

Ironwood nodded. "You heard him men get her secured." The team hurried and placed her on a stretcher.

"What about her aura levels?"

"They replaced what little they could but with her injuries it won't make much of a difference. We can't risk giving her too much. You told me she has a sister. Is she an aura match? That would save your student some time in the hospital."

"They're half sisters and no they're not a match. Her only known aura match is deceased."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Mother or father?"

"Mother. Her name was Summer Rose."

"Sounds like a pleasant woman."

"Yes she was." Ozpin agreed.

Ironwood coughed and took his eyes from the young girl. "Miss Rose told me a little of what happened but I think the video will speak for itself. She's in no condition to give a report tonight. If you will excuse me Ozpin, I need get back to work. I have my own men to look after."

"I understand James. I'll take over from here."

Ironwood thanked him before getting onto an elevator. Moments later the medics finished with Ruby and Ozpin watched as his unconscious student was wheeled past him. Seeing the lifeless girl covered in glass and dried blood stirred something dark inside him. His hand drifted to the sword hidden in his cane. It had not been used in many years but he had the feeling that was going to change. This idea did not disturb him even the slightest.

* * *

**Beacon Medical Bay**

* * *

"Ruby" Yang cried running into the room. "Thank God you're alright." She hugged her bed ridden sister who winced at the contact. Once Yang was assured her little sister was okay she released the hug but her eyes were still wet.

"What happened to you sis?"

"I'm sorry."

"One minute we were dancing and the next the CCT is exploding. We looked for you but you just disappeared."

The caped-girl had felt ashamed for running off on such a special night for her team but now she realized how worried they had been. Guilt started to eat at her seeing Yang's tearful eyes and expression.

"And the next thing I know Professor Ozpin is telling us we need to return to Beacon and wait for you in the hospital. You scared me sis."

"I'm sorry Yang. I didn't mean to worry you."

"You had us all worried dolt."

Ruby's eyes floated to the doorway of her hospital room and saw Weiss peaking in as if she were too scared to enter. Ruby noticed the worry lines above the heiress' eyebrows.

"I'm okay Weiss you can come in." Ruby said gently. The heiress gingerly walked to the bed as if testing the waters. Finding them satisfactory she took a seat next to her partner's bed. Ruby noticed how out of breath she was and realized they must have ran to her room. Their eyes were wide as they noticed the cuts and bruises on her face.

"I'm okay guys no need to worry."

"Don't listen to her she's lying." Blake said dryly. Three pairs of eyes turned to the door where the faunus was reading from a clipboard. If Ruby had to guess she would say they were medical papers.

"I don't think you're supposed to have that Blake." The caped-girl said stiffly.

"It was sitting at the nurses station so I thought I'd take a peek." She glanced up and looked Ruby in the eyes. "Do you want me to tell them or do you want to?"

"Huh?" Yang said startled. "Tell us what?"

Ruby sighed. "First I just want to say that I feel fine."

"That would probably be because you've got enough painkillers to sedate an Ursa."

"WHAT!" Yang and Weiss cried in unison. Even Ruby was surprised.

"Okay you make it sound bad but it always takes a lot of medicine to work on me, same thing with Yang. Our aura tends to fight it. The sedatives wore off so they gave me this happy little IV that makes my nose tingle."

"Why do you need pain killers Rubes?" Yang shifted her weight slightly. "Your aura will be busy too busy fighting it to recharge."

Ruby decided showing was better than telling. She lifted the bed sheets and brought her legs out from under the covers. Blake quietly closed the door as Ruby was only in a hospital gown.

There was an audible gasp from Yang and Weiss but Blake's silence spoke volumes. The caped-girl tried to say something but her voice cracked.

"Ruby." Yang whispered in shock and pain. "What did they do to you?"

"There's more." She mumbled. "Before you say anything let me undo the bandages first."

Ruby gingerly undid her wrappings around her feet. They were heavily bandaged and she could still remember the pain she felt before the medicine did it's job. Just because she couldn't feel it right now didn't mean she wouldn't in five minutes. Medication had a funny way of working on her which is why she stayed away from it. The doctors said they'd take her off of it once they felt the pain was manageable for her.

Eventually both wraps were undone and she turned to face her team. Weiss turned her head feeling sick while Yang and Blake looked on in horror. Her feet had been cut to pieces and were a mess. She took great care not to let the wounds touch the clean bed sheets before wrapping them up again.

"That's not all." She rolled up her sleeves and showed her bare back to the team. Ruby hadn't seen her back yet but she knew it had to be bad considering all the glass the doctors had pulled out.

"Ruby…" Her sister choked. "What happened to you?"

With her bandages back on she hid under the smooth hospital covers. She felt too exposed in the hospital gown but her team needed to see the damage with their own eyes.

"Everyone kept telling me to have fun and that nights like this don't happen often in the life of a huntress. I wasn't having fun so I decided to ditch the dance." Ruby hung her head down in shame. She couldn't look her sister or her partner in the eye after all the hard work that had gone into the event. Now she felt like a hypocrite for trying to talk Blake into going.

"I didn't see any guards and the doors were unlocked so I decided to go to the top floor. I just wanted to see the city. I didn't care if I got in trouble." She sighed and glanced at her feet.

"I rode the elevator to the top and saw a soldier on the floor. I tried to help him but I tripped in those stupid heels. I threw them off and saw three soldiers on the ground. They weren't moving..." She did her best to shake the memory out of her mind. The sight of a dead human was all too familiar to her. "I knew the murderer had to be around so I demanded them come out, and so she did."

"She?" Yang's eyes narrowed. "Was it the pink woman with the umbrella?". Apparently the blonde still held a grudge.

Ruby shook her head. "No, remember the woman I saw with Torchwick the night Ozpin offered me a place at Beacon?" It took them a moment but they slowly nodded. They honestly hadn't given a second thought to the mystery woman. "She wore a Grimm mask but it was her. She also isn't a faunus. The mask was just a disguise."

"How could you tell?" Blake asked curiously.

"Because I've lived with a faunus for nearly four months Blake." Ruby said dryly. "She was fast on her feet but nothing like you, Sun, or Velvet. You guys are graceful when you run. She also went through the trouble of turning the lights on."

Blake blushed but nodded. Ruby was more perceptive than she gave her credit for. Her teammate had picked up on the little faunus nuances most people never caught.

"But how do you know she was the same woman as before?" Weiss questioned. "You said she was wearing a mask."

"I didn't get a good look at her the first time but I recognized the fire glyph. You aren't going to believe this but she can make obsidian from sand."

"What!" Weiss exclaimed. Yang and Blake were impressed but obviously the heiress knew something they didn't.

"She had some kind of dust pouch with sand in it and when she threw a handful in the air she created two obsidian swords. The doctors said that some of that glass was in my skin." All eyes turned to the resident dust expert.

"Can she do that?" Yang asked.

Weiss bit her lip. "I'm sure it's possible but that would take a lot of aura and a really powerful flame glyph.

"She has the aura." Ruby divulged. "When she attacked I just kept dodging with my semblance, but then…" She hesitated looking at her feet under the covers.

"She broke the windows." Weiss said suddenly. "That's what made us run outside."

Ruby nodded reluctantly. "I took my shoes off remember." She said with tears in her eyes. "She didn't give me a choice. I had to use my semblance and I ran right through the glass."

"Oh Ruby!" Weiss cried horrified. Blake covered her mouth while Yang looked away out the window as if she were looking for the culprit.

"I fell down and rolled through the glass. It took all the aura I had to block her sword but I didn't have a choice. I had to run through it again."

"That's horrible." Weiss cried sympathetically.

Ruby nodded. "I tried to protect my feet but you guys know I can't keep an aura shield up when I'm running while tired. I'm just not good at it. I think I did more harm than good. Ironwood and his men saved me before she could end it."

The room was quiet then. No one knew what to say. Ruby's bitter laugh broke the silence though.

"She did say one thing though, Yang you may enjoy this." The blonde's ears perked up. "She told me to enjoy my glass slippers." She wiggled her feet for emphasis then immediately regretted it.

Yang looked sicked.

"Sis." The blonde said simply giving her sister a hug. It was gentle but Ruby still winced. Yang seemed to sense the source of her discomfort.

"Sorry. Is it your shoulder? Did you hurt it again?"

"No." She gritted her teeth.

"Says here she did." Blake said matter of factly with the chart in her hand. "She tore a muscle and bruised the bone."

"I'm fine." She said gaining control over her voice. "I told you using my semblance wears my muscles out and it's hard to keep an aura shield up when my aura is low. I'll be fine." She gave the faunus a dirty look. "Does that piece of paper have everything including my favorite color?"

"Red." Blake responded humorlessly. Ruby blew the red tips of her hair out of her eyes.

"But why did you leave the dance?" Yang asked sounding hurt.

Ruby could see the sadness on her sister's face. "I'm sorry sis I didn't mean to ditch you guys. I just really wanted to get out of there. The CCT seemed like the best place to be. I know how hard you guys worked preparing everything. It was stupid and I'm sorry.

"You need to be more careful." Yang nearly shouted. "You should have stayed at the dance."

"It's not like I went looking for a fight Yang." Ruby snapped. "I didn't ask for this. All I wanted was to see the view from the top of the CCT. I'm sorry I left the dance and I'm sorry I screwed up our first mission." Her eyes became misty and she punched the side of her bed.

"Mission?" Yang asked. She turned to her teammates who were just as confused.

Ruby nodded. "In case you guys forgot we were supposed to get our first missions the day after tomorrow but we can't exactly do that because of my feet. I blew it guys." Tears welled up in her eyes so she lay back down. "It's probably going to be awhile till I can go on a mission."

"Ruby," Her sister said gently. "We're not worried about some stupid mission. Right guys?"

"Absolutely." They said in unison.

"See? There'll be other missions. You just worry about getting better."

"But this was supposed to be our first and it might cost us entry into the Vytal Festival." Seeing the bewilderment on their faces she sighed.

"Freshmen need at least three successful missions to qualify for the tournament and Beacon doesn't just hand them out. We failed and it's all my fault guys. I might not even make the next one."

Her teammates were speechless. They had taken it for granted that they would qualify for the festival. Beacon treated their freshmen differently from the other academies. Beacon gave their young teams very few missions so each was a sink or swim situation. It was survival of the fittest. The exchange students probably had half a dozen missions already under their belts while they had yet to go on a single one, but this dynamic had groomed Beacon students to become the finest huntsmen on Remnant. Failure was not an option for them.

Her team thought about what their leader had just said and were all one mind on the matter.

"No one is blaming you Ruby." Blake said matter of factly. "This isn't your fault. Ozpin will understand. He'll give us another chance."

"That's right." Weiss agreed. "There will be other missions and Professor Ozpin owes us for taking care of the paladin and for what you did tonight. Just worry about getting better dolt." She smiled to let her partner know she was supporting her.

"Screw the Vytal Festival." Yang said hotly. "It's just some stupid tournament anyway. Ozpin was just pulling our chain trying to motivate us before the semester."

Ruby nodded but rolled over to her side. She knew her sister had been looking forward to the tournament and that only made it hurt worse.

"I'm really tired guys. I think I'll get some sleep." Her teammates reluctantly nodded as they heard the emotion in her voice.

"Anything we can get you sis?" Yang's anger was replaced with concern for her sister.

"Um, well," She said embarrassed. "Could you bring me some pajamas? This gown has a draft."

"Sure thing. I'll be back in a minute."

"No you stay here." Blake said stopping the blonde. "I'll go. I need to drop these charts off anyway." Yang smiled and thanked her for the opportunity to stay with her sister a little while longer.

The faunus left and the hospital room was awkwardly quiet. Ruby obviously didn't feel like talking while Yang and Weiss didn't know what to say. Without saying a word though the heiress grabbed a washcloth from the bathroom and sat next to her partner.

"Your makeup is a mess." She brought the cloth to the girl's face and cleared it off.

"Thanks." Ruby said absently. "I'm sorry about the dress Weiss. There wasn't much left and I lost my heels."

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure Beacon will reimburse you for it." She winked. "We'll just have to go shopping again when your feet get better to replace them."

"That's right." Yang said catching on. "We'll stop by the Cerulean Cafe and the princess will buy you the biggest cookie dough sundae you've ever seen."

"I'll pitch in for dessert." Blake said walking in. She handed a small bag to Yang. Inside were Ruby's pajamas, scroll, and even her cape.

"That was fast." Ruby observed.

"Well you did say we faunus are fast and graceful."

"Why don't you guys wait outside while I help Ruby." Yang said and the duo nodded.

Wordlessly she helped Ruby get changed and Yang had to bite her tongue seeing all the cuts and bruises. It made her sick knowing someone had done this to her sister. It also killed her to know there was nothing she could do. Yang had inherited her aura from both her parents while Ruby from her own mother. Yang had her father and uncle who could share their aura with her if she ever needed it. Ruby had no one.

Yang began to set up a pair of chairs as a makeshift bed while taking her earrings out. From under the covers and in her comfy rose pajamas Ruby rolled her eyes. Her sister was still in her dress from the dance.

"Go to bed Yang."

"What do you think I'm doing?" She said playing dumb.

"You know what I mean. There's no reason to stay here."

"You're here aren't you? That's good enough for me."

"Please Yang," She begged with hurt in her voice. "Please just go."

Yang tried to smile but it wouldn't stay. "Okay sis." Despite the gentleness of her hug Ruby still grimaced. "Get some sleep."

"I'll try."

Blake and Weiss said their goodbyes a moment later before following the blonde back out the room.

"Don't let it get to you." Blake said putting her arm around the blonde. "She's tired and wants some time to think."

"I know," Yang said quietly. "I just don't want her to be alone."

"None of us do." Weiss said putting her hand on the blonde's other shoulder.

"Ruby is like our sister too Yang. We'll come by first thing tomorrow."

"Thanks guys," She said tearfully. "It means a lot."

"No problem sis." They said in unison.

* * *

**(A/N: I hope the mood was captured nicely. I decided to add some extra drama with the mission hanging over their heads. Ruby strikes me as the type of person who would be more upset about the mission called off than her own injuries. I also wanted the Vytal Festival hanging in the background. I liked the idea that Beacon puts students in sink or swim situations as it reinforces my idea that Ozpin doesn't fail his students, they do that for him. But I hope this was believable to you and that you enjoyed it. Also before I get messaged about it I know the glass normally would have fallen to the outside after an explosion but Cinder's fire is anything but normal. I don't see a reason why she couldn't pull the glass into the room with her powers. Once again thank you guys for all of the kind words, the reviews, follows, favorites, and views. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made all of this possible. God bless**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The Cowardly Lion, The Goodwitch, and the War-room

* * *

The silence was deafening when the team returned to their dorm room minus Ruby. One by one the girls changed from their dresses to their pajamas and took off their make-up. When they were done they each sat on their beds painfully aware someone was missing. Once in awhile they would catch each themselves staring at their feet as if comparing their soft, pink skin to the tatters that were Ruby's feet. They were so used to the caped-girl running around barefoot that it had been disturbing to think she couldn't walk.

Their leader was weighing heavily on all their minds but it was Weiss who could not take the silence any longer. The heiress knew less about her partner than even Blake but there was one thing that was painfully obvious to her.

"Ruby isn't upset about the Vytal Festival for our sakes is she?"

The blonde shook her head slowly as if it hurt.

"I'm going to be honest guys," Weiss continued. "I haven't exactly been looking forward to the tournament like Ruby. Actually I've been dreading it but I know she wants it more than anything else. It's like an obsession with her. Could you tell me why? It seems like she never gives me a straight answer anymore."

Yang sighed and looked misty eyed as the night was starting to catch up with her.

"I don't know why Ruby won't come out and say it but the reason she's been pushing us so hard is because she wants us to be like our parents' team. They won the Vytal Festival together and Ruby just wants to be like her mom."

"_Her_ mom?" Weiss raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah _her _mom." Yang said simply. "Ruby and I are half sisters. She lost her mom a few years ago and ever since she's been following Summer's footsteps. In fact she pushed herself so hard she was accepted into Beacon two years early."

"That is pretty incredible." Blake agreed.

"But now I'm wondering if that was two years too early…"

Her teammates didn't say anything to agree or disagree. More than once they'd had similar thoughts about their leader though none of them would openly admit to them. It wasn't that they didn't think the caped-girl wasn't a good fighter or a surprisingly capable leader. They all knew she was a prodigy and had led a team against a Nevermore and a paladin and won. She was however two years behind both physically and mentally. They could only imagine how good the girl would be if she had finished her two years of training.

"I don't know if she is too young or not," Weiss mused. "But none of us could have led this team as well as she has and we haven't exactly been the easiest bunch of misfits."

Both the blonde and the faunus reluctantly nodded.

"Yang, you smother Ruby and always make her feel self conscience. Blake, you haven't always been there for us. And I've been…" She paused looking for the word.

"Demanding?" Yang finished.

"Prissy?" Blake guessed.

"Witchy?" Yang tried again.

"Alright I get it." Weiss snapped. "I was going to say I've been difficult and a bit fussy at times but thank you for the list."

"Anytime." Yang jested.

"The point is we need to find a way to cheer your sister up." Weiss' voice cracked. "Ruby's right we'll probably miss the Vytal Festival now. Her feet could takes weeks to heal if that woman's aura is a strong as she says. Red dust when strengthened by aura is nasty stuff guys. We're going to have to be there for her."

The blonde was happy that her sister had gotten such a great partner but it only made her feel worse.

"I should have been watching her." Yang said miserably. "It's all my fault."

"No way." Weiss argued. "I'm her partner and I wasn't watching her either. If you want someone to blame Yang, blame me. I'm the one who proposed the duel Friday. I knew we would end up taking it too far and sure enough we did. Ruby used up way too much aura and I sure didn't do her shoulder any favors. If it wasn't for me your sister would probably be just fine."

"You were just trying to cheer her up Weiss and thank you, but I'm the one who forced her to come to the dance."

"I'm the one who picked out the shoes she couldn't walk in."

"Well I'm the one who-"

"Stop it both of you!" Blake shouted not caring if students were trying to sleep. "It's nobody's fault. Weiss, Ruby needed that duel and she was fine afterwards. A little extra aura wouldn't have done her any good and you know it. Yang, you never forced Ruby to come and you aren't her baby sitter. None of us are."

Weiss and Yang were quiet after that but Blake still had something else to say. She sighed and looked down at her feet. Despite her words Blake did feel she was partially to blame

"Don't blame yourselves guys. Sun and I were the only ones to see her leave and we didn't stop her.".

Yang was surprised to hear that but didn't hold it against her partner. How could she? Before Ruby had joined Beacon she had needed their father's permission. Ruby was only able to join under one condition. Yang.

_Take care of your sister Yang. She's all we have left of Summer…_

"She's too young," Yang muttered to herself. "Too young to get involved in this stuff."

A yawn from the heiress made the team aware of how late it was.

"Let's get some sleep." Yang suggested. Her team agreed and soon they were in bed and the only illumination in the room was the blonde's scroll.

_Goodnight little sis. _She wrote. Moments later she got a reply.

_Goodnight big sis._

Yang smiled. "Ruby says goodnight guys."

"Goodnight Ruby." Blake mumbled.

"Tell that dolt to get some sleep." Weiss groaned.

Yang let a tear fall to the scroll. Tonight had stirred too many bad memories from when Summer died. Ruby had looked so much like her in that bed...

* * *

**The Emerald Tower**

* * *

Professor Ozpin gazed out the windows of his office wishing he could see the Isle of Patch this morning but the rain clouds made it impossible. The sky was as gloomy as his mood. He took another sip of coffee hoping the caffeine would do him some good. It had been a very long night.

His desktop scroll alerted him that his visitors had arrived.

"You may enter." He said reluctantly.

Professor Goodwitch and General Ironwood walked side by side with grimaces on their faces. It seemed the weather was reflecting more than just Ozpin's mood.

"Glynda, James, Good to see you. Please have a seat." They did as they were asked and waited for the headmaster to continue.

"Before we begin I should tell you that I contacted Taiyang Xiao Long about his daughter."

Goodwitch rolled her eyes. "Please tell me he isn't on his way."

"What's wrong with Taiyang?" Ironwood asked curiously. "I understand he can be eccentric at times but he's a good man and a good huntsman. He wasn't codenamed the Lion for nothing."

"_Was_ a good huntsman," Glynda said dryly. "And he's not the same man he used to be. You barely know the man and he doesn't flirt with you every chance he gets."

"No, I can't say he does."

"Which reminds me Glynda," Ozpin said with a twinkle in his eyes. "He did ask me if you were still single."

Her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms. Ozpin coughed awkwardly.

"Moving on then. Taiyang will not be returning to Beacon as per my request. He will however be sending his daughter a package via Signal air service. It should be arriving soon."

"Of course he'd abuse the huntsmen like that." Glynda scoffed.

"He is a professor at Signal and has the authority to do so Glynda. In most cases I would have avoided such a call but I need to contact Qrow immediately and Taiyang is the only one who can do that. We should be hearing from him in a few days. I also thought it was best to tell him about his daughter personally."

"I still can't believe that girl is Qrow's niece." Ironwood said shaking his head in disbelief. "I was under the impression Taiyang only had one daughter. How is miss Rose doing?"

"Injured in a hospital bed, and will be for quite some time." Ozpin said frankly. "Her aura isn't fully developed yet so it will be a slow recovery."

"I spoke with the doctors." Glynda added. As Ruby's combat instructor she knew the caped-girl's aura better than anyone. "They've given her what little aura they could take but it's a drop in the bucket of what she needs."

Ironwood nodded. "I didn't recognize her at first but she was the red hooded girl from the paladin incident wasn't she?" Ozpin gave a curt nod. "Besides Qrow I don't believe I've seen a finer scythe wielder."

"Speaking of the paladin," The headmaster said as Ironwood sat up straighter. "Have you discerned how a paladin fell into the hands of our enemy?"

"Not yet," The general said regretfully. "By all accounts it's still sitting in storage. It's beyond me how it ended up in Vale of all places, but to be perfectly honest I'm much more interested in its operator.

"Roman Torchwick." Glynda contributed.

"Nothing on his record indicates he should be able to fly a bullhead much less pilot a paladin. A prototype mind you without all the proper equipment. It was made for weapon practice not actual combat yet he piloted it better than some of my men. There is more to that man than just a crook."

Ozpin nodded. "I agree but lets not lose focus on the bigger picture. Someone sabotaged the perimeter fence that night and I believe it was our mystery woman from tonight.

"So do I." Glynda's eyes narrowed as she showed the two headmasters a photo of the masked woman in the CCT. "She accessed a terminal before miss Rose interrupted her."

"Do we know what she accessed?"

"Unfortunately no." Ironwood said taking over. "She received a file from Atlas but there is no way to trace it."

"She did leave us this though." Glynda handed Ozpin her scroll so he could get a better look. It was a picture of the terminal the mystery woman had used and the normal blue, see through screen had been changed to the White Fang flag with a chess piece in the middle. The black queen.

Ozpin mused on this information unsure what to make of it.

"Does this mean she's the 'queen' we've been looking for?" Glynda asked. "If so that means I had the perfect chance to stop her before initiation." The huntress tightened her grip on the scroll. "If it hadn't been for that silly girl..."

"I understand your anger Glynda but it can't be helped." Ozpin said sympathetically. "It wasn't your fault nor miss Rose's. I'm not convinced yet that this is the so called queen we've been searching for."

"Neither am I." Ironwood boomed. "Qrow told us 'Queen has pawns so until proven otherwise I believe this is just another pawn much like Torchwick."

Ironwood sighed and tightened the glove on his fist.

"Every time we think we have him he slips through our hands like smoke." He reached out as if to catch the air but caught nothing.

"Is it possible he's hiding in the lost city?" Ozpin mused.

Ironwood shook his head. "He'd have to be a lunatic Ozpin. You know even better than I do that the city is a breeding ground for Grimm. The city is crumbling and Goliaths still circle it decades later. They would have been killed if they stayed there too long. Besides we've already scanned the city from above. No human life, or faunus life for that matter."

"Your bullheads may not have found anything but what about men on the ground?"

"To search a city like that would take more manpower than I can spare Ozpin. It cannot be done."

"I agree General that the military are not capable for such a task. I of course mean huntsmen."

Ironwood didn't seem pleased by that idea. "How many teams are we talking about? The less men on the ground the better so they can move around freely, but an experienced team would be better suited in the City of Vale for defense or searching a more likely hideout location. I say let the city rot until the Grimm numbers endanger the City of Vale.

Ozpin smiled. "It just so happens General that the Grimm are growing and knocking on our doors. I have already signed a search and destroy mission for my students."

Ironwood raised an eyebrow. "Is that really a wise idea old friend? Sending first years into the lost city could be suicide especially if your hunch is correct about Torchwick."

"They will be chaperoned by a member of my staff of course and there just so happens to be two teams qualified for such a task. Unfortunately one of their leaders is sitting in the medical bay right now. I plan on speaking with the other later today."

Ironwood realized who the leader was Ozpin was talking about.

"Will you be seeing her today?"

"Later this afternoon I will. She's likely still asleep."

Ironwood rose and cast a shadow over his desk. "Very good. If that will be all Ozpin I must return to my office. I still have arrangements to make."

"Of course James. Would you escort the General to his bullhead Glynda? This weather is dreadful for my leg."

Glynda rolled her eyes but did as she was asked.

Alone again with his thoughts Ozpin remembered back to the queen. He considered himself a master chess player so the notion of the message being directed to him intrigued him.

"Queen takes knight." He said thoughtfully. "How should I respond?"

_How do I win a war without losing any pieces?_

Ozpin grimaced as the answer came to him.

_You don't..._

* * *

**(A/N: I hope you enjoyed. Sorry for the wait but it couldn't be helped. Thank you everyone for the kind words and the support for the series. I love hearing feedback and I hope you are enjoying my changes to the series. You people are amazing. Looks like Ruby will be getting a package from her father soon. Sounds interesting if you ask me. Once again thank you for the support and all of the comments. It means a lot. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who without Him none of this would be possible. God bless**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

And Your Little Dog Two

* * *

**(A/N: Wow I can't believe we're already on chapter 20. Seems like last week I was hesitant about posting chapter 1. Thank you everyone for sticking with the story and being so supportive. God bless)**

* * *

Ruby stared out the window feeling sullen. The sky was matching her mood as it shed tears.

_I shouldn't be this depressed. _

She glanced away when she saw her bruised face in the reflection in the glass.

_I made it out alive which is a lot more than most huntresses can say..._

Her feet were still in bandages as to not mess up the sheets. It would still be days until they closed and weeks until she'd be able to walk again which broke her heart.

Ruby was born to run. Yang joked that her baby sister could run before she could walk. As a child the caped-girl would run around the house in her socks picking up static electricity and shock her family. It was so bad her father removed all carpet in the house and Ruby was forced to either go barefoot or wear shoes. A similar rule was in place in the dorm.

The caped-girl tried to tell herself that possibly missing the Vytal Festival Tournament wasn't the end of the world. Four months ago she had believed it would have been another two years before she could even apply to Beacon. If Professor Ozpin hadn't accepted her she would still be in Signal dreaming about the tournament every day. To be so close to her dream was maddening, but she also couldn't stand the thought of costing her team something they had worked so hard for. Yang and Weiss had each gone through years of schooling and tutoring while she had skipped the hardship. Blake had gone through so much with the White Fang and finally found a home, and Ruby had ruined the faunus' chance to prove herself.

It wasn't fair to them that she was their leader. Weiss and Blake had nearly lost their lives because of her.

A knock came from the door and she instinctively hid her feet under the covers.

"Come in." Her voice was barely a whisper.

Her sister opened the door carrying a box and had a bright smile on her face which contrasted with the sky and Ruby. Her teammates followed each carrying a bag full of Ruby's belongings and they were all drenched head to toe.

"Hey guys. Why are you soaking wet?"

"That's what happens when it rains sis." Yang joked trying to cheer her sister up. When the blonde noticed the grim look on her face she sighed. "How are you feeling today?"

"Better." She said simply. Yang doubted there was much of a difference in Ruby's health. It had only been last night she'd been injured and her aura hadn't had enough time to recharge.

"Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren stopped by for a quick visit." Ruby pointed at the wardrobe where a portrait hung. "Nora drew me a picture."

The girls turned and saw a crude drawing of Nora riding an Ursa in the sky and what looked like a rose in a hospital bed.

"That's uh, interesting." Weiss concluded. Yang and Blake slowly nodded in agreement.

"Nora said she and the flying Ursa were guarding me from Grimm. If you look hard enough you can see the rose has a cast on the stem."

"Where'd they go?" Yang asked.

"Ozpin and Goodwitch needed to talk to them about the mission assignments tomorrow. They're probably getting supplies for the mission right now."

"Oh." Was all the blonde could muster. RWBY's sister team had already being briefed.

"What's the package for?" Ruby asked changing the subject.

Yang grinned. "Dunno. It's addressed to you though."

"Me?" She asked perplexed.

"Yep and it's the reason why we're so late. Dad sent you a package via Signal Academy air service."

"He sent it express!" Ruby cried. "He can't just send packages like that."

"Tell me about it!" The blonde agreed. "The jerk scared me half to death. I thought something had happened at Signal or to Uncle Qrow." She handed her sister the box along with an opened envelope. Ruby eyed her sister suspiciously.

"Sorry but I already read it." She admitted. "I had to make sure everything was okay."

Ruby nodded as she understood. Everyone had nightmares about receiving news from the huntsmen. It normally meant a family member or friend was gone.

She opened the envelope and unfolded the letter. What she saw turned her face and ears red from her embarrassment. She hung her head down and moaned.

"You already let Weiss and Blake read it didn't you?"

"Of course I did!" Yang cried. "You think I'm going to let you get off the hook?" Ruby shook her head. "This is going right next to Nora's masterpiece."

Ruby glanced up to her teammates. "Please don't think worse of me because of my dad."

"I think it's sweet." Weiss said and Blake nodded.

"I really like how your dad worked 'Sweet, wonderful, rose of my life' into his poetry."

Ruby cringed at Blake's rendition. "It's okay guys you can laugh."

With the caped-girl's permission Weiss, Blake, and Yang doubled over in laughter and tears ran down their faces. One by one they began quoting excerpts of the poem.

"As team leader I am making the executive order that we never mention this ever again."

"Denied." They said in unison.

Ruby groaned before taking a look at the box still under Yang's arm.

"Can I open it now?" Yang handed the package over and Ruby naturally shook it.

"Don't bother sis. I already tried and have no idea what it is."

"She shook it the whole way here." Weiss confirmed.

"Whatever it is," Blake said pinching her nose. "It smells like wet dog."

Ruby and Yang chuckled before freezing and giving each other horrified looks.

"He wouldn't!" They cried.

Weiss and Blake gave each other puzzled as the siblings tore at the package to free whatever was inside. When the box was finally opened all they could see was packing peanuts. They all leaned forward for a closer look just as two ears popped out then a snout. A small black and white creature attacked Ruby's face and pinned her to the bed. Blake jumped behind Weiss as the heiress screamed.

"Kill it!" Weiss ordered.

"It's okay guys." Yang reassured. "It's just Zwei."

"Zwei?" Both Weiss and Blake were confused.

"He's our pet corgi."

The monochrome pair realized Ruby's shrill cries weren't from pain, they were from her being ticklish and Zwei's tongue licking her face.

"Get him off of me please." Ruby pleaded between giggles. "It hurts."

Yang picked up her pet by the scruff of his neck and was immediately attacked. She fell backwards and was sent into hysterics by Zwei's licks.

Blake's feet froze as she watched in horror.

When Zwei was done attacking Yang he jumped back onto the bed panting and wagging his tail.

Weiss stepped forward and there was a sizable gulp from the siblings as she picked up their pet.

"Dog huh." She said unimpressed. Her arms were fully outstretched as if she were afraid of germs. The corgi starred with loving eyes into the cold, heartless eyes of the Ice Queen. Both parties were silent until Zwei turned his head to sneeze.

"I LOVE DOGS!" The heiress squealed as she brought Zwei in for a hug to the furry animal's delight. The siblings let out a sigh of relief.

As Weiss fell over giggling from joy Zwei jumped out of her arms and greeted the faunus girl who immediately ran into the bathroom and closed the door. All three girls shrugged before Weiss was attacked again. Before the heiress could blackout due to lack of oxygen the blonde scooped Zwei into her arms and handed him to Ruby.

"Sorry Weiss but he's Ruby's present."

Weiss sat up and nodded. "Does your dad normally send cute animals through the mail?"

Yang had to think about it for a moment. "Animals I don't think so but I can't say I'm surprised. He's always doing crazy stuff like this. He considers it science."

"I call it animal cruelty." Weiss cried appalled. "How did the little guy not suffocate?"

"Zwei has been through worse than that. Haven't you boy?"

_Woof! _ Was all Zwei contributed.

"Not just anyone can survive the Xiao Long household." Yang said proudly.

"You can say that again…" Ruby mumbled.

"Oh you poor thing. Why don't you come to Weissy? I'll scratch your ears." The small corgi's ears perked up at the prospect of being scratched. He flew off the bed and into Weiss' arms.

"Weissy?" Ruby and Yang said in shock.

"Isn't baby talk a little unbecoming of an heiress?" Yang asked.

"You sound like my father." Weiss said annoyed. Her voice softened however when she looked Zwei in the eyes. "I always wanted a pet when I was little but my parents were always against it."

Ruby thought back to what her partner had said about always wanting bunk beds as a kid and and never getting them.

"Well it looks like you've got one now." She announced. "Zwei will be needing a bed to sleep in until I get better. He can't exactly stay here."

Weiss' eyes lit up as she tightened her hold on the corgi. "Ohh!" She cried. "You hear that puppy tart? You're going to stay with us for awhile."

_Woof!_

"Did I just hear a dog bark?" Came a voice from outside the door.

"Ozpin!" Yang nearly screamed.

"Quick throw Zwei into the bathroom." Ruby cried to which Weiss complied.

"Sorry." Weiss apologized as Blake jumped on the counter and whimpered. "Keep him quiet." She shut the door and the girls nodded.

"Come in." Yang hollered.

The door opened and the headmaster walked in favoring his cane. He had an amused smile on his face but also looked confused.

"Why does it smell like wet dog?" He asked. Ruby and Weiss looked at each other in horror. If the headmaster found out they had smuggled in a dog Zwei would be sent back to Signal immediately.

"That's just Weiss." Yang covered. "It's her new perfume she got from Atlas." She gave her teammate a wry smile as Weiss stared back with menacing eyes.

Ozpin raised a brow and the heiress nodded slowly which made Yang giggle.

_Don't ever be alone._ Weiss threatened.

"Well alright then, moving on." Ozpin said awkwardly while he kept his distance from the heiress. "I just wanted to see how my student was doing and possibly hear some new details. In your condition last night was neither the time nor the place." He took a seat on the far side of the room.

"Would you like us to go?" Weiss asked.

"That will not be necessary as I cannot stay long and you are her teammates after all. Speaking of which, where is miss Belladonna?" He looked around as if the girl had disappeared into the shadows.

"She's around." Weiss said vaguely.

"No matter. Could you please tell me about the mystery woman you fought?"

"Of course Professor," Ruby complied. "But I don't know what else to say. Her face was behind a mask the whole time."

"I understand. Can you tell me anything about her aura?"

"It's powerful. She was able to shatter all the glass in the room with just a wave of her hand and created two obsidian swords with sand but I don't think that's her semblance. Every time she used her aura her cloths lit up. I think she wove dust into her cloths sir."

Ozpin nodded. "High risk, high reward. It makes her more powerful but could just as easily kill her. Did she say anything to you?"

"Only that she hoped I enjoyed my glass slippers." Ruby wiggled her toes and sounded miserable. Not only had the glass been sharp but it also had red dust which burned at her skin. Yang looked out the window wishing she had someone to punch.

The headmaster was lost in thought after that and Ruby mentally kicked herself for being useless. Weiss must have sensed this because she asked the professor the question that had been plaguing the caped-girl's mind.

"Professor," She asked kindly. "What are we going to do about the mission? Will we be able to make up for it?"

Ozpin shook his head. "This will be counted as a failed mission. I'm sorry but I don't make the rules for the Vytal Festival. Each team must have at least three successful missions before entering and without miss Rose you cannot accept any other missions until she is well. I'm sorry but you'll just have to hope she's fully healed by the next one."

Ruby's head sunk lower than she thought possible. Weiss felt miserable for her partner and Yang felt disgusted. Her sister was going to miss their first mission and possibly even the Vytal Festival all because she was a good person. It wasn't fair.

"It's okay." Ruby said feeling empty. "I'll just have to get better before the next missions are handed out." She smiled but it was just for show.

"I'm sorry but it is out of my hands."

"We understand Professor." Weiss said.

"I know it will be hard but it's important that miss Belladonna, miss Schnee, and miss Xiao Long come to the ceremony tomorrow."

"I don't want to go if Ruby can't go." Yang stated.

"I understand miss Xiao Long but you are obligated to go. Not only is it celebrating your first missions and in turn the Vytal Festival."

"Which we can't participate in." Yang pointed out.

"Please Yang." Her sister begged. "I know how much you've been waiting for it. Go and tell me what it was like when it's over."

Yang tried to argue but Ruby gave her the puppy dog eyes she had learned from Zwei.

"Alright Rubes." She caved. "We'll go."

Ozpin cleared his throat and stood up with the help of his cane.

"I'm afraid I must be going." He knew how frustrated the team had to be and that his presence wasn't helping. It was clear Ruby didn't know much more beyond what was captured on film.

"I'll be seeing you two and miss Belladonna tomorrow for the ceremony." He regarded Ruby who was being left out. "I'm sorry."

While passing the bathroom he paused and knocked on the door. "The word you're looking for miss Belladonna is cynophobia." He smiled then looked back at the team. "We'll find whoever did this, I promise." He opened the door and was gone.

Moments late Blake burst out the door and ran out as Zwei chased her.

"You think we fooled him boy?" Yang asked as she scooped the corgi up and handed him to Ruby.

Even with Zwei licking her face Ruby still felt miserable. For the first time since joining Beacon she wished she was somewhere else. Somewhere far away in the mountains of Patchwork in a tiny village where a red roofed cottage sat. If she closed her eyes she could almost smell the strawberries and hear a familiar voice.

"Hey Ruby," Her sister said. "Guess who's got strawberry cookies?"

* * *

**(A/N: I hope you enjoyed my introduction of Zwei and I hope he brought some levity to the situation. I thought it would be fun to write him as kind of a "Get well soon" present from the dad. Don't expect any Final Fantasy VIII stuff with the Corgi Cannon though. Also I went back and fixed some of the spelling errors and sentence structure of the earlier chapters. Nothing major and I'd doubt you'd notice but I wanted to make a note of it. Once again thank you so much for the follows, favorites, reviews, and support. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made all of this possible. God bless)**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

A Simple More Honest Soul

* * *

_Remember students while the rest of the world celebrates peace and tranquility we huntsmen and huntresses are upholding that peace and tranquility with our lives. What you do outside the walls will go unnoticed by the general populous. You will protect those who you've never met regardless of nationality or ethnicity._

_Do not dishonor the memory of the men and women who gave their lives for your safety when you never learned their names. The same shall be done to you._

_Tomorrow you leave the safety of the City of Vale because of Grimm. They are the sole reason why this academy and so many others like it exist. Countless civilizations have fallen to the soulless beasts and soon you will meet the nightmares of Remnant first hand._

_It will take an honest soul to defeat the darkness. Never forget the soul that was given to you is your greatest weapon against Grimm. _

_I pray you all return safely children. God bless..._

* * *

Yang slammed the door open as she and her teammates returned from the ceremony.

"It isn't fair!" The blonde shouted as she entered the dorm. She hurled a backpack across the room narrowly missing Zwei. Both Weiss and Blake could feel the temperature rise and see the blonde's eye color change to red.

"We know," Weiss scolded. "But throwing things isn't going to help matters."

"Well it makes me feel better."

From the look in her eyes Blake guessed her partner was deciding how much force it would take to throw Weiss through the window.

_Probably not much._ She guessed.

"Yang stop." The faunus commanded before things got out of hand. "This isn't helping our situation or Ruby's."

At the mention of her sister Yang paused and the temperature dropped.

"Weiss and I are just as upset as you are but you heard Ozpin yesterday. There's nothing we can do."

The blonde took a seat at the desk with her shoulders slumped. She glanced over to her sister's empty bunk before closing her eyes.

"It just didn't feel right being there without Ruby." Yang admitted as her voice cracked. "She's been waiting for those speeches all her life. I didn't realize it until we were standing in the auditorium but so have I."

Hearing Yang's voice crack hurt Weiss and Blake more than she could know. She had always been the tough one of the group and both girls couldn't help but look up to her even if they were the same age. No one would ever confuse Yang as the level headed member of the team, but there was no doubt she had the biggest heart.

It drove the blonde mad to know that she and her sister weren't an aura match. If she were she'd be willing to give as much as she had. It wouldn't heal all of Ruby's injuries or restore all her aura but it would be something.

Blake took a seat on her bed and sighed.

"Let's face it we've all been looking forward to today almost as much as Ruby. We've waited a long time to get our first mission and together we've gone through things that would kill most people. To say today was disappointing would be an understatement."

Weiss looked at her partners through misty eyes remembering all they'd been through since initiation and all the years a rapier had been in her hand.

"It was a bitter pill to swallow to say the least," She choked. "But I can only imagine how Ruby feels not even being there."

Blake looked up surprised Weiss was putting her partner before herself. Then scolded herself for thinking that of her friend. Weiss wasn't the same person she'd grown up despising. That person was a front put on by the heiress.

"Well said Weiss." She said as an apology.

The heiress nodded thankful for Blake's support.

"I'm just glad Ruby didn't have to sit through Ozpin's speeches or the ceremony. I don't think she could have handled it."

Yang's head dipped low so that her mane covered her face. The way the blonde hid her face reminded Blake of Ruby with her hood on.

"Speaking of which," Blake noticed the time." It's getting late. We should go see Ruby. I know it's going to hurt but your sister will want to know what the ceremony was like."

Yang stood up suddenly letting the chair fall to the floor and making Zwei jump into Weiss' arms. The blonde walked into the bathroom and slammed the door shut.

"I think we should give her a minute." Blake observed.

"You think?" Weiss cried sarcastically.

"I know one thing for sure though." The faunus said casting Weiss a sideways glance.

"What's that?"

"Whoever hurt Ruby is going to wish they were never born when Yang is done with them."

Weiss nodded but her mind wandered back to the caped-girl's bloody feet and broken spirit.

_When I find whoever did this Ruby, they are going to wish Yang had found them first._

* * *

Ruby had given up hope that the rain would quit falling so she had the blinds closed for the day. The dark skies hadn't been helping her mood. She could hear the faint sound of raindrops hitting her window but other than that the caped-girl was cut off from the rest of the world.

When the nurses brought her meals the caped-girl's only words had been a curt "Thank you". After several attempts of making small talk with their patient the staff had given up. Ruby didn't mean to be rude or anti-social but what did you talk about when you were missing the biggest day of your life? She just wanted to be left alone.

Sitting in the bed had grown tiresome for the caped-girl so she sat in a wheel chair reading. It was uncomfortable but it was better than sitting in the same bed for days. She still wasn't sure how much longer she'd be in the hospital. Her feet had to be monitored for infection so the doctors wanted her close. A red dust infection was a painful way to die.

While Ruby read from a book she had already thrown the huntsmen and weapon magazines in the trash as they reminded her of the mission. Even if Ruby could have gone to the ceremony she would have felt out of place and unwelcome.

A pair of rose petals floated across the room and Ruby scolded herself. Her aura was low enough already without her unintentionally using more.

_THUMP! THUMP!_

A knock at the door startled the caped-girl causing her to drop her book and another pair of rose petals to scatter.

"Come in." She said annoyed with herself.

The door squeaked open and her sister poked her head in with Blake and Weiss behind her.

"Hey guys," Ruby called while struggling to pick up the fallen book. "Ugh, how was the ceremony?"

Yang ignored the question and reached down to pick up the book.

"No," Ruby commanded. "Let me get it. Please."

The caped-girl wanted to prove she wasn't useless and Yang backed away understanding.

Not wanting to watch her sister grimace and struggle she turned her head to the supportive faces of her teammates.

Ruby finally got her fingers around the book and held it high before wheeling herself to the bed. The transfer was slow and painful but the caped-girl finally got under the sheets out of breath.

"So how was it?" She repeated as if nothing had happened.

"Boring," Yang shrugged. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm less sore and my shoulder is feeling better. I think my aura is finally kicking in."

_Too bad it keeps floating away._ She thought.

"What about your feet?" Yang asked worried. Her sister was used to sore muscles due to her semblance but her feet were more serious. The caped-girl's aura should have been taking care of that first.

"No change." Ruby admitted. "The cuts were deap and red dust doesn't heal overnight."

"You'll get better sis." Yang let her hand graze Ruby's feet. "We're here with you."

Ruby nodded. "Thanks. Looks like it's going to be a little while until we can go shopping."

"Don't worry about it." Weiss said.

An empty tray off to the side caught Yang's attention.

"You barely touched your dinner." She said concerned.

"I wasn't hungry."

"But you love cookies and milk." Weiss said in disbelief. Ruby normally ate her dessert first.

"I just didn't feel like eating."

"You need to keep up your strength Ruby." Blake pointed out. What worried her more was that she could smell the contents of Ruby's lunch in the trash can.

Ruby nodded but was silent.

_This calls for the big guns._ Yang thought to herself.

The blonde set her backpack down and let a furry friend out to play.

"Zwei!" Ruby cried as the corgi jumped into her arms happy to reunite with her.

Yang was happy to see her sister laugh as Zwei licked her nose. Ever since their father had brought him home Zwei had always found a way to cheer Ruby up.

"He wants you to get better." Weiss translated as Zwei yipped. Yang quickly hushed him so the nurses and doctors didn't hear.

"Thanks boy." Ruby chuckled. "I'm feeling better already."

Blake scooted past her teammates and took a seat in the corner where a pile of books lay on a table. She wanted to be as far away from the beast as possible.

Of the pile of books Blake recognized a few of hers but many actually belonged to Ruby. They had been stashed on her side of the closet until they had been brought in yesterday. She noticed an old leather Bible with a bookmark in the middle meaning the caped-girl was some ways through. A name was printed on the cover in red. _Summer Rose_…

Just seeing the name saddened Blake.

"Thank you Zwei," Ruby said again when he was done cleaning her face. "I'm sorry you couldn't stay with me last night but dogs aren't allowed in the hospital."

"Or the rest of the school for that matter." Blake mumbled.

Zwei didn't seem upset however and just curled up into a ball in Ruby's lap.

"So guys," Ruby said getting serious again. "Tell me the truth. What was it like?"

Yang started to play with her hair and Weiss took an interest in her manicured nails. Blake hid behind a book leaving Yang and Weiss to fend for themselves.

"Come on guys. I'm a big girl. Just tell me."

Yang and Weiss glanced back to Blake who was hidden then back to each other. Somehow the heiress was elected as speaker.

Weiss sighed and looked her partner in the eyes. "It was everything we've been waiting for and more Ruby."

The caped-girl nodded and was thankful for her honestly. "Who all was there?"

"All of Beacon's staff of course, a few teachers from the visiting schools, and even a few active huntsmen."

Ruby looked back at Yang and the blonde knew what her question was.

"Sorry sis. No one we knew was there."

She nodded but was clearly disappointed.

Blake wasn't sure who they were talking about but she remembered one person who had been.

"Penny was there." She added.

"Really?" Ruby asked surprised. "Why was she there?"

"Well she is a student dolt." Weiss rolled her eyes. "She said so the first time we met."

"Oh right, I forgot." Ruby covered. Her teammates still didn't know Penny's secret or why it was odd to see her in a crowded place.

"She asked about you and we told her you were in the hospital," Weiss' voice rose. "But Penny said she couldn't come see you and didn't even tell us why."

"That's okay I understand."

The heiress watched for any facial movement that may give her a hint of what happened between the two the day of the paladin incident. Until the night before Weiss had never seen her partner more beat up and low on aura, but Ruby had refused to talk about it. Whatever happened stayed between Ruby and Penny no matter how much she pried.

"Maybe you scared her off." Blake commented.

"I what?" Weiss cried.

"You were pretty cold to her."

"I was perfectly ladylike in every manner."

"Could have fooled me." Yang's quip earned her an icy stare.

Weiss huffed in a very unladylike like manner but she knew they were right. Ruby was her partner and she couldn't help but be mistrustful of Penny.

"Anyway," Ruby said wanting to move on before she let something slip. "What else happened?"

Yang and Weiss did their best to answer all of Ruby's questions while Blake sat silently in the corner. Ruby was mostly interested in what the huntsmen had to say so they repeated parts of speeches they could remember. For some reason the dessert table also interested the caped-girl. Yang and Weiss seemed excited as they described in great detail what everyone was wearing and even what color the room had been decked out in. Eventually it was enough to make the caped-girl's eyes droop.

"Maybe we should go." Weiss noted. "Looks like you can barely keep your eyes open Ruby.

"Hmm?" Her eyes opened at the sound of her name. "No that's alright. You can stay. Keep talking about whatever it was you were talking about."

"She's right sis." Yang laughed. "You're tired and you need your rest."

"Alright." Ruby was too tired and sleepy to fight them.

Weiss cradled a sleeping Zwei and placed him in the backpack while Yang messed up Ruby's hair.

"Quit it." She whined.

"We'll come see you tomorrow Rubes. We may be a little late though. We asked Ozpin if he would speak with us and he said yes. Maybe we can get him to let us make the mission up somehow."

"What?"

Weiss nodded. "We're going to see if he'll give us another mission when you're better or at least let us catch up with the other teams."

"You'd really do that?"

"Of course dolt." Weiss winked. "You're not the only one this affects. I can't become the perfect huntress without my partner."

No one said it but they also suspected Ozpin wanted to talk to them about Yang punching Cardin in the face for gloating to the team about getting a mission.

"Thanks Weiss."

"Don't mention it."

"Hey Ruby?" Blake asked.

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever read this?" She handed a book over to Ruby.

"The Thief and the Butcher." The caped-girl read aloud. "Nope, never heard of it. Is it yours?"

Blake shook her head. "I thought it was yours. Yang? Weiss?" They shook their heads. "That's strange."

"What's it about? Is it good?" She said eagerly.

"It's a pretty dark book Ruby. That's why I was wondering if it was yours."

Ruby flipped through the pages and realized Blake wasn't lying.

"Wow, there's a lot of blood." Ruby noted.

"There's more than that trust me."

"Sounds pleasant enough." Weiss shivered. The team had learned the heiress didn't care for blood in any capacity.

"I can't say too much without giving the plot away but let's just say there is a reason why he's called the butcher."

"Disgusting." Weiss turned her head.

"Cool." The siblings agreed.

"It's really good," Blake nodded. "But you have to get past the gore first, and the thief's clothing or lack there of."

Ruby placed the book on her bedside tray and yawned. "I'll be sure to start it later. I'm really sleepy all of a sudden."

The caped-girl felt as though someone was pulling her down on the bed.

"Then get some sleep sis. We'll be back tomorrow."

"Alright, night Yang."

"Goodnight Ruby." Blake and Weiss said together.

"Bye guys. Take care of Zwei."

The girls closed the door and Ruby could feel her eyelids falling. Before she knew it the caped-girl was asleep.

"She's out." Blake informed her team as she heard Ruby's soft rhythmic breathing outside her room. "Good job Weiss."

"Thanks Weiss." Yang put an arm around her teammates. "I don't think she's slept in days."

The heiress smiled and dispelled her propulsion glyph.

"Always does the trick."

* * *

A visitor arrived late that night under the cover of darkness. The caped-girl's snoring masked the sound of the window opening and rain falling. A hooded figure crawled in avoiding the blinds before sliding the window back down.

The stack of books nearly tripped the visitor but after flailing their arms around they were still standing.

The visitor sighed in relief. Somehow their clumsiness hadn't woken the bed ridden girl.

"Sorry I'm so late Ruby." A young girl whispered. "I had to wait until father fell asleep."

Ruby snored in response.

The visitor moved the wheel chair out of the way and laid a hand on Ruby's foot which reflexively recoiled. She tried again this time more gently and the foot stayed in place.

"You told me that this is what friends do for each other so I'm going to repay the favor. You also told me that I have a soul. I want to prove you were right Ruby."

She hesitated suddenly nervous. "I've never done this before and I'm not sure what I'm doing, but it'll be okay, I think."

The visitor placed another hand on the caped-girl's feet and closed her eyes to focus her aura.

A faint glow came from the visitor's hands and a hum filled the room. A sharp inhale came from Ruby as her breathing stopped. Rose petals gathered around the caped-girl's body before being scattered across the room.

When the visitor felt that was enough she withdrew her hands and Ruby's breathing resumed.

Ruby rolled over to the side mumbling something about strawberry cookies before snoring again. She had a corgi pillow under her arm which she squeezed tightly.

When the visitor was satisfied Ruby was alright she opened the window prepared to crawl out but something made her stop.

"Oh and Ruby," She remembered. "If anyone asks I was never here." _*hic*_

* * *

**(A/N: Some interesting things happened at the end of that chapter. I wonder who the "mystery" person is. She sure sounds familiar. Doesn't sound like she knows what she's doing so hopefully everything goes well. As for the book Blake had I'll leave that up to your interpretation for now. Also as far as Ozpin's speech about art and the war 80 years prior it never happened. The reason why people are named after colors and all have symbols is because that is just the world they live in. No reason needed it's just the way things are. I had thought about making the speech longer and having team RWBY sitting there for the ceremony but I figured that'd be boring and would rather have the reader miss it just like Ruby. Thank you for reading you all are amazing and it's a joy to write for all of you. Thank you for all the support and kind words. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless)**

"


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Ruby Slippers

* * *

The morning sunlight slipped through the rain clouds after days of hiding. The Emerald Tower's windows let it's occupants see for miles in all directions. Bullheads filled the air but for once these didn't belong to Atlas, they were Beacon's. The first year students were flying across Vale to fulfill their missions, all except one team sitting across from Professor Ozpin. Four chairs sat in front of his clockwork desk but only three were occupied. One person was missing from the equation.

"So that's it then?" Yang threw her hands up and leaned back in her chair. "Pat us on the back and tell us to do better next time?"

Weiss glanced between Yang and Ozpin afraid her partner was pushing the headmaster too far but all he did was calmly take a sip from his coffee.

"I would have worded it better but yes." He nodded.

The heiress decided on a different tact than that of Yang. While her teammate was forward and blunt, Weiss Schnee was calculative and conniving. She had learned from the best after all.

"Please Professor," She folded her hands over her lap and looked down. "We're the strongest freshman team in Beacon. We can handle a mission by ourselves. If we miss the Vytal Festival it will kill Ruby."

Weiss knew Ozpin had taken a keen interest in team RWBY and its leader. Both her partner and Blake had been asked to join Beacon by him personally even though they hadn't graduated from an academy. Weiss was the heiress to the most powerful company on Remnant and Yang was possibly the most powerful freshman and her father was a professor at Signal. Surely he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize their chances of qualifying for the Vytal Festival. The semester had begun with him praising their skills and believing they could win.

"I'm afraid my hands are tied." Ozpin shook his head. "The rules dictate that a mission cannot be carried out without all four members of a team and your missing teammate just happens to be your leader. Even I cannot bend the rules this time."

Weiss didn't want to believe that. One thing she had learned as a Schnee was that if you could not bend the rules then they could always be rewritten. More than one law had been rewritten by her family.

_Perhaps Beacon needs some more funding?_ She mused.

Her family did have a hefty scholarship program for lower income students after all.

Before Weiss could propose her plan Blake interrupted.

"Has there been any news about Ruby's attacker?" Blake asked breaking her silence for the first time since entering the headmaster's office.

Ozpin shook his head. "None. Torchwick and the White Fang have also been inconspicuous the last week."

Yang clinched her fists so hard her knuckles turned white.

"Do you have any leads?" Blake asked raising an eyebrow.

Ozpin eyed her curiously as the faunus stared backing looking for any hint of deception.

"Yes, I'm following up on a hunch that may turn up a few." He answered cryptically.

The blonde gritted her teeth in frustration. She didn't want hunches or possible leads. She wanted her sister's attacker found and beaten senseless, preferably by her own hand.

Blake followed Yang's gaze and knew exactly what her partner was feeling. She herself been obsessing over Torchwick and the White Fang for months and sometimes it still threatened to overwhelm her. She also understood that if Ozpin could bend the rules he would. The faunus was an example of the headmaster's rule bending. Yang was her partner however and Ruby her leader, she would stand by the blonde's objections even if she thought it was futile.

"Isn't there something we can do?"

"I'm sorry children but you'll have to wait for miss Rose's recovery to be cleared for combat."

"But that could take weeks!" Weiss cried losing her calm demeanor. "Some of that glass had traces of red dust. I asked one of the doctors and they said the medicine is hardly having an affect."

"I understand the situation miss Schnee." He said patiently. "Those doctors do happen to work for me."

"She's been dreaming about this all year!" Weiss slammed her fist down surprising her teammates and even the headmaster.

"Weiss…" The blonde said putting a hand on her shoulder. Seeing how upset her friend was getting over her sister's condition made her appreciate that she was her sister's partner.

"I'm sorry," She apologized quickly. "But look at her aura. It's been nearly three days and her aura levels have barely moved." She pushed a button on her wrist scroll to bring up Ruby's profile.

Ozpin didn't need to see her scroll to know his student's vitals.

"The chief medical officer tells me miss Rose's aura is fighting the medicine and combined with the aggravation of the red dust is making this a slower healing process than previously thought." Ozpin agreed. "I'm sorry but all you can do is be by her side and wait patiently."

The heiress froze as she unclipped the scroll's strap.

_That's not possible. _She thought.

"Weiss, what's wrong?" Yang asked suddenly worried. The wide eyes of the heiress staring at Ruby's vitals made her heartbeat quicken.

"That isn't possible." Weiss said shaking her head.

"What's not possible." Blake narrowed her eyes readying herself for anything.

"I checked my scroll last night. I don't understand."

"Weiss!" Yang shouted unable to take it anymore. "What is wrong with my sister?!"

"GOOD MORNING TEAM RWBY!"

The automatic doors to the headmaster's office nearly flew off their hinges as a small hooded figure pushed them aside and stood in the doorway. A cloud of rose petals blew through the air as did a certain red cape.

"Ruby!?" Her teammates cried as they jumped out of their seats.

"That's me." She beamed. "Sorry I'm late guys. I had to run to the dorm room to pick up some cloths."

The caped-girl twirled for her teammates and roses scattered to every corner of the office.

"What are y-" Yang choked. "I mean how are you even here?"

"I ran." She said proudly.

"No duh dolt we can see that." Weiss snapped losing her composure again. "She means _how_ are you walking? You didn't just heal overnight."

"Actually they did." *_hic*_

Ruby covered her mouth in embarrassment.

"Well mostly," She shook her head. "Doesn't matter. The important thing is that I can run again!"

A disheveled Goodwitch walked through the door gasping for breath. Her eyes met with the headmaster's.

_Sorry._ Her eyes said. _I tried to stop her._

Ozpin gave her a curt nod before turning his attention back to the caped-girl. Ruby scooted past her teammates who were all in shock and stood up straight in front of the headmaster's desk.

"Hello Professor." She said bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Miss Rose," He greeted back. "It seems you no longer have need of your wheelchair."

"Nope." She giggled as her "p" popped.

"What brings you to my office on a fine day like this?"

Ruby closed her eyes took a deep breath. "Team RWBY reporting for duty sir."

The team looked on in disbelief as the caped-girl saluted.

"So I see," He laced his fingers together. "But I'm afraid yesterday was the deadline for missions to be accepted."

The caped-girl bit her lip but otherwise looked undeterred.

"And as you know I would never bend the rules."

Ozpin's eyes twinkled as he opened a drawer to his clockwork desk and pulled out a sheet of paper. Ruby's eyebrow raised in confusion, a trick she had learned from Blake.

"Would you look at that?" He said in faux surprise. "It would seem team RWBY did receive a mission after all. I must have forgotten all about it."

The professor handed the paper over to the caped-girl who couldn't believe what she was holding. An actual mission request with the actual Huntsmen seal. Her team's name was on the bottom along with her teammates', but above theirs written in gold ink was _Ruby Rose _to signify her as team captain. Her hands began shaking as it was what she had always dreamed about.

When she saw the date beside Ozpin's signature her eye's widened.

"You've had this request since we defeated the paladin." She choked. Her teammates looked at each other equally amazed.

"It's a good thing I never throw anything away isn't it." He smiled.

Ruby didn't know what to say or do so she settled on the one thing her heart was saying.

"THANK YOU PROFESSOR!" She reached out to hug the professor but the desk was too large and she fell over nearly knocking over his coffee.

The headmaster chuckled before getting serious again.

"Don't thank me just yet miss Rose. You haven't even read what the mission is yet."

Ruby scrolled down the page.

"Grimm population control in the south." She read carefully.

"What's the catch?" Yang asked as it sounded too simple.

"The catch as you put it is that your team will be going to just south of the City of Vale to Mt. Glenn where the lost city resides."

It was as if all the air had been sucked out of the room.

"You can't be serious." Weiss looked around hoping she heard him wrong.

"I am," Ozpin nodded. "But you will be doing more than killing Grimm. Unofficially you will also be scouting the city in search for where Torchwich and the White Fang may be hiding."

"You think they're hiding in the lost city?" Blake said skeptically.

"It's a possibility I cannot ignore miss Belladonna. If you do not turn up any leads however you will still be doing Vale a service."

"It's the Grimm isn't it?" Yang asked. "They're getting out of hand."

"Correct. After the perimeter breach last week I think it would be wise to thin their numbers a bit. The city was lost decades ago to the Grimm and-"

"And you want us to retake the city!" Ruby interrupted as she grew excited.

"No." He said emphatically to deflate the caped-girl's hopes. "The city is lost for good. Even the combined efforts of the military and huntsmen have been unable to retake what was lost of Vale."

Ozpin cleared his throat looking into the distance where the silhouette of Mt. Glenn rose from the ground.

"Your mission is kill as many Grimm as you can while searching for a possible headquarters for the White Fang. You will be given one week to cover as much ground as you can."

He sighed. "I had hoped to pair you with another team so you could each take half of the city, unfortunately they were unable to accept the mission do to personal problems at home. I will extend the mission if need be but only at the discretion of your chaperon."

"Chaperon?" They all moaned.

"All first years must be accompanied by a huntsman. I will assign an expert on the lost city. You are to follow their lead am I clear?"

"Yes sir." They all said reluctantly.

"While your real, unofficial mission is to search for the White Fang let me remind you the dangers of Grimm." He paused to look them each in the eye. "Kill anything that gets in your way. The longer you are in the city the higher the possibility of all of the Grimm realizing you're there. By the end of the week you could be hunted non-stop by an endless number of monsters. Avoid large battles if you can afford to and pick them off in small packs. You will be overwhelmed otherwise."

The team gave a sizable gulp.

"When the city was over run thousands of people lost their lives. Huntsmen have gone into that city and never returned. This is not for the faint of heart children."

He took a sip from his coffee and let that sink in.

"We're not children..." Ruby whispered.

Ozpin smiled but but his eyes looked sad.

"With all that said will you still accept the mission."

Ruby paused and turned to her team. They all had understandable fear in their eyes but something burned in each of them.

"It's your call sis." Yang said grabbing her shoulder. "You think we're ready for this?"

The caped-girl took a deep breath. She had waited all her life for this moment. She was going on her first mission with her sister and best friends. They were going to keep the people of Vale safe by killing Grimm and they were going to find the White Fang. No more waiting around in a hospital bed.

This was the day they had all been waiting for.

"Team RWBY is combat ready sir and we accept!" She shouted.

"Very well." He waved his hand. "Any questions?"

The team shook their heads trying desperately to hide their excitement and worries.

"Good. Your huntsman will explain more tomorrow morning before your mission."

"Tomorrow?" Weiss gasped. "Isn't that a little soon?"

"Freshman teams already left this morning miss Schnee." Ozpin pointed out. "There are a select few upperclassmen leaving tomorrow on their own missions and team RWBY will be among them. You leave tomorrow at o'six hundred from hanger seven. You are dismissed."

The team paused still processing the information. It didn't seem real. Eventually Ruby realized that they had just been dismissed from an official mission debriefing and turned to leave with her teammates hazily following.

"By the way miss Rose." Ozpin smiled a devilish grin.

"Yes professor?" She asked nervously.

"I'll be sure to give General Ironwood the good news about your bill of health."

_*hic*_

* * *

**(A/N: I hope you enjoyed. I'll let you interpret Ruby's hiccups however you wish. You'll get to see more of Ruby's condition next chapter as this was meant to set up the Mt. Glenn arc. It's nice to write something that isn't depressing. Once again thank you for reading and all of the feedback you guys have given me. Thank you. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless**


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Combat Ready

* * *

Team RWBY couldn't take their eyes off the caped-girl as she merrily skipped down the halls of Beacon Academy with a trail of rose petals following behind. Yang, Blake, and Weiss would trade perplexed glances at each other but kept silent. Every time Ruby did a ballerina hop all three would cringe and look away.

When they reached the dorm room Ruby slid her key-card and was greeted by Zwei who eagerly jumped into her arms. Ruby in turn launched herself onto the top bunk and wrestled with the corgi until he began licking her face.

"Cut it out!" She cried with tears rolling down her cheeks. "You just saw me ten minutes ago!"

The team couldn't help but feel at ease by Ruby's playfulness. This side of the young girl had been missing for what seemed like forever.

One thing however hung over their heads like the rain clouds above the City of Vale.

"Okay sis." Yang crossed her arms. "What happened?"

Ruby's head rose and she smiled. "I'm all better."

She picked up Zwei and flew him around as if he were an airplane.

"We can see that," Weiss rubbed her temples from stress. "and we also saw how your feet were literally taped together. You shouldn't be walking around right now. You _can't_ be walking around right now."

The caped-girl hopped down from her bunk with Zwei still in her arms.

"Well I can." She said simply. "I don't know how it happened and I don't care."

She kissed Zwei on the head who in turn _kissed_ her on the nose making her giggle.

The blonde's heartstrings were pulled. She still saw Ruby as the little girl who barely ate and refused to talk to anyone. Every night she'd sneak into her bed and cuddle with her big sister, who told her everything would be alright and sang until she fell asleep.

All that changed when Zwei came home one day with their father. Ruby had said hello to the then nameless corgi and shared her dinner with him. She even started snuggling with him to keep away the nightmares, only occasionally sneaking back into Yang's bed with corgi in tow.

Yang uncrossed her arms and hugged her sister so tightly Zwei was nearly crushed between his two favorite people.

"It's good to have you back sis." She breathed.

"It's good to be back." Ruby agreed.

Weiss coughed and looked up at the ceiling as if it was the most interesting thing in the world at that moment.

"Well I suppose it's a good thing you're back." Weiss sighed. "It's been far too quiet around here."

Ruby smirked at her partner's teasing. "Thanks Weiss."

The heiress smiled but still refused to look her partner in the eye.

"What about you Blake?" Ruby cocked her head to the side waiting for the faunus to say something. She had been silent since she returned.

Blake could sense something about Ruby was different. Her scent was wrong. Everyone had a scent unique to themselves no matter how much you tired to cover it up, but Ruby's was being covered up. Yang and Weiss' human senses were too dull to pick up everything Blake could as a faunus. She could see how dull Ruby's aura was compared to normal.

The faunus realized why Ruby's scent was wrong. Her rose petals smelled like they were wilting.

Blake hesitated to speak. She realized why Ruby made her so uneasy now. Wilting roses reminded her of Adam.

_Don't be silly._ She chided herself. _This is nothing like Adam's aura or scent._

But still Ruby's aura didn't smell like the sweet roses they once did.

"It's good to see you on your feet Ruby." She smiled convincingly.

Ruby dropped Zwei onto Weiss' bed who eagerly scooped him up into her own arms. Blake was surprised when the caped-girl hugged her and immediately felt uncomfortable. Yang and Weiss both laughed watching Blake being tortured by the show of emotion.

"Thanks Blake."

"Don't mention it." She choked.

When the two separated Yang cleared her throat getting everyone's attention. The sight of Blake's bow and Zwei's ears perking up at the same time distracted her causing her to forget what she was going to say.

"Yes?" Weiss said waving her hand.

"Oh right." She coughed and shook her head. "So what do we do now? We have a mission tomorrow and today to pack. Where do we start?"

All eyes were on their leader who in turn looked at Zwei for the answer. Her face turned red at the attention and she opened her mouth then promptly closed it.

"I dunno." She shrugged.

The team put their hands over their faces. It seemed Ruby had given this very little thought if any at all.

"We'll need some gear from the storage room." Blake said hoping Ruby would take it from there. "Sleeping bags, mosquito repellent, and food would be helpful."

"Right." Ruby nodded as she thought things through. "Hmmm, Weiss you make a list of all the supplies we'll need. Go with Yang to the supply house and grab everything. Yang, since you're the strongest you'll do all the heavy lifting."

Yang flexed her muscles as Weiss began making a list on her scroll after setting Zwei down on the bed.

"Blake and I will get all the dust and other supplies we'll need from the city and meet you back here." She turned to Weiss." I'm guessing you've already got all of the dust crystals you'll need right?"

"More than enough." Weiss answered.

"Good. I know a shopkeeper in the city who should have everything we need for a decent price."

"Need any lien?" Weiss asked as she casually pulled her wallet out of her pocket.

Ruby hated taking advantage of her partner's money. To the heiress money was no object and she never minding buying lunch or cloths that she thought were cute. But Ruby didn't want to have to borrow money unless absolutely necessary.

"That's alright." She waved her hands. "Since this is an official mission the school will cover most of it. Yang and I will probably take up most of the budget anyway."

Weiss shrugged and put her wallet away which no doubt held more lien than most people's bank accounts.

"Aright!" The blonde exclaimed. "Sounds like a plan."

"What about Zwei!?" Weiss cried realizing the corgi would be alone. "We can't just leave him here."

Ruby and Yang shrugged.

"He'll be fine." Yang waved off. "He's got food and water, and we'll leave the window open so he can use the bathroom."

Blake glanced out the window to the long fall below.

"I don't think that will work Yang. The fall will probably kill him."

"Nah," Yang scoffed. "He does it all the time at home. Don't you boy?"

Zwei barked in agreement.

"See?"

Blake and Weiss looked at each other in horror and wondered what life was like at Signal Academy. They also wondered how he'd get back up to their room.

"Now that Zwei is taken care of," Ruby clasped her hands together. "Let's get to work. Go team RWBY!"

"Go team RWBY!" They yelled in unison.

* * *

Weiss and Yang spent hours scouring the supply house for everything on the heiress' list. It had been difficult but both girls were finally able to find backpacks that matched their outfits and supplies. They had both insisted that they be color coordinated to each team member.

Although Ruby had suggested they follow an official huntsman guide to mission prep the duo decided style outweighed practicality. Although Yang and Weiss normally avoided the dirty supply house and left all visits to Ruby they couldn't help but feel giddy in the expansive _huntsman mall_ as Yang called it.

It was almost like shopping except everything was free. Of course there was a guard who made sure neither girl went overboard but he missed the fact that Yang had stuffed her jacket full of permanent markers. Weiss wasn't sure why Yang needed so many but she decided to keep her mouth shut on account of her jacket full of corgi hair clips. She wasn't sure why there had been so many in a huntsmen warehouse but they quickly became vital to the mission.

"Hey Yang?" Weiss asked as she glanced down at her wrist scroll for the thousandth time that day.

"What?" The blonde grunted as she pushed the heavy cart to the freshmen locker room. From there they could ride the elevator to the dorm.

"How do you think Ruby did it?"

Yang stopped, brushed the mane out of her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I honestly don't know." She turned away. "I've seen Ruby do some crazy stuff but this takes the cake."

"Crazy stuff?" Weiss cocked her head like a bird seeing something shiny. "Like what?"

"We'll there's the fact she can burp the alphabet back words." She said proudly.

"You know what I mean Yang."

"Yeah I do," She said softly. "but I'm still trying to figure her out too..."

"Are you sure there isn't another aura match? Maybe your dad or uncle?"

Yang shook her head. "Dad isn't an aura match and our uncle isn't related to Ruby by blood. He's my mom's brother. Technically he's not actually her uncle."

"Oh." Was all the heiress could say. She still didn't know the full story of the sisters.

"Summer was Ruby's only aura match but even she couldn't transfer _that_ much aura safely." She said slowly. "Even an aura match has too much variation and Ruby's body would have rejected it."

They were silent after that. Neither girl offered a reasonable explanation for Ruby's recovery other than it had been a miracle.

"I'm sorry about your mom Yang," Weiss apologized. "and Ruby's. I didn't mean to-"

Yang smiled and held up a hand. "Don't worry about it Weiss."

The heiress sighed with relief she hadn't said something to offend her friend.

"It's not exactly something we like talking about but it's not something we're ashamed of. We're still sisters. I don't remember much of my _real_ mom and Summer always treated me like her own. She was the best."

"I'm glad you two got along so well." Weiss smiled.

A pang of guilt struck the blonde in the heart but tried not to show it.

"Come on," She coughed and started pushing the cart again. "we've still got two more loads to bring up. You sure you have enough suit cases?"

"Positive." The heiress walked in stride with the overloaded cart.

Yang tried to clear her head from the thoughts of Summer. The older Ruby got the more she looked like her. She loved the woman who was like a mother to her. She just wished she'd been more like a daughter to her when she was alive. She couldn't take back all the things she'd said or done now.

It was too late for that.

_Ruby is all we have left of Summer. _

* * *

Ruby and Blake were exhausted as they trudged back to the dorm. They had spent the day in the City of Vale gathering what supplies Weiss and Yang couldn't. They easily bought all the ammo they'd need at the _From Dust Till Dawn _shop and Ruby even picked up the newest batch of magazines which were on the house. Then they hit every food court so they wouldn't have to eat rations all week. They figured as long as it was preserved well it would last. What wasn't going to last however was Ruby's supply of cookies. With the dozens of boxes she'd bought that day only a handful were making it back to the dorm. It had been days since her last cookie and she was making up for it.

Blake had kept a watchful eye on the caped-girl as she had used her semblance to speed around the city. Ruby wanted to take it all in. One thing that Ruby avoided however was the CCT. She didn't even want to go near it and Blake understood. They had walked around it through neighboring plazas to get to their destinations.

The faunus was devastated however to learn her favorite bookstore had closed down. She hadn't been to it in weeks and had been looking forward to it all day and now she was a wreck.

"It'll be okay Blake." Ruby said trying to cheer her up as they walked back to the academy. "I'm sure you'll find another bookstore."

While Ruby didn't read as much as Blake, she did enjoy reading and liked going to real bookstores with her friend. It was so much better than buying them on the scroll.

"Let's just get back to Beacon." She muttered.

_It's the White Fang._ She thought._ It has to be._

One air taxi later everyone had returned to the dorm room and began putting their packs together. All their supplies were piled up to the ceiling and they had to root through the mountain to find what they needed. Ruby's pack was by the book in huntsman code but had a little pouch for what little cookies she had left. Her teammates however were a little less conservative.

"Isn't that a bit much?" Ruby asked as the suitcases and packs reached the ceiling.

Weiss and Yang shook their heads while Blake stared out the window.

"We're going to be gone for seven days." Weiss pointed out. "We'll need all of this."

Ruby still didn't seem so sure.

"Don't worry about it." Yang messed up her sister's hair which earned her a elbow to the ribs. "We'll be leaving most of this at our base camp."

"You sure?" She narrowed her eyes.

"Positive." Yang and Weiss gave each other high fives.

It seemed to Ruby they were bringing everything but the bunk beds with them on the mission.

"We should get some sleep guys." Blake said absently. "We've got a big day tomorrow."

"The biggest." Yang agreed.

"I'm just so excited!" Ruby cried bouncing up and down even though she was exhausted.

"Time to go to sleep." Yang cooed.

"But I'm not tired." Ruby whined.

They had to be up at the crack of dawn, something that wasn't normally easy for the nocturnal team.

"Well I'm exhausted." Weiss pouted. "I'm going to bed. Good night."

Without another word the heiress crawled into bed.

Next was Ruby who climbed onto her top bunk as Yang handed her Zwei.

"Goodnight sis."

"Night night." Ruby said sadly.

Yang turned out the lights before she and Blake crawled into their own bunks.

"Good night team RWBY!" They all said in unison for the first time in days. Since Ruby had been in the hospital it hadn't felt right to do it without her.

Before long Yang was snoring and Blake was curled into a ball.

Ruby's bed comforted her after being away for so long. Zwei was snuggled under her arm as if he were a teddy bear. It bothered her that this was her first night back with Zwei in her bed and she'd be leaving it again in only a couple of hours. It seemed like a cruel joke. Especially since she couldn't sleep. The anticipation she felt reminded her of Christmas morning.

Ruby scratched her heel on the foot board as once again the itching was driving her crazy. She wasn't sure if it was from anxiety or a side effect from her injuries but it was making it difficult to get comfortable. She didn't feel a scab on her foot but something didn't feel right.

_Just worry about the mission. _She told herself. _Worry about the Grimm and finding the White Fang. You feel fine..._

_*hic*_

Ruby covered her mouth as she let out a loud hiccup. Rose petals scattered across the room. Luckily she hadn't woken her team up. Yang was still snoring and Blake still curled up in a ball.

Below her Weiss watched as rose petals fell to the floor before disappearing. She glanced at her wrist scroll and noted how her partner's aura had dropped. All day Ruby's aura fluctuated and Weiss had seen signs of her semblance activating accidentally. In the supply house Weiss had pointed out Ruby's levels dropping but Yang said it was just her sister being excited and using her semblance to get around. The heiress wasn't so sure.

_I'm going to have to keep an eye on her._ Weiss thought to herself._ She isn't right._

Weiss wished they could have called off the mission for her partner's sake but knew that would never happen. Ruby would go on this mission even if it killed her, which was exactly what she feared.

The heiress brought her hands together and closed her eyes.

_Please don't let her get hurt again. _She prayed. _Keep her safe. Keep the dolt safe._

_*hic* _

Weiss opened an eye as more rose petals fell.

_And please stop the hiccups. I NEED SOME SLEEP TOO!_

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed. A quick thank you to everyone for catching my spelling errors and giving me the chance to correct them. I do my best to catch errors but I don't always see them. Thank you. I also changed the description slightly as this story is not so much of a novelization as much as it is just based on Volume 2. The overall plot is still there but I've obviously made some major changes. Also another thank you for reading and all of the feedback. I love writing for you people. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless**


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

I Rather Dislike the Concept of Camping

* * *

Team RWBY sat in mission prep room 7 not far from Beacon's bullhead hanger. They had been sitting impatiently ready for the mission since before the sun rose but their huntsman seemed in no hurry to arrive.

Ruby kept glancing towards the door hoping if she wanted it bad enough then he'd come through the door. The rest of her team however sipped on coffee trying to stay awake.

All three girls were exhausted from waking so early and had bags under their eyes. The heiress had tried hiding them but not even make-up could hide how tired she was. Ruby however seemed to have energy for all of them.

"Oh this is just so exciting!" Ruby squealed as she bounced up and down on the seat cushion.

"Chill yourself sis." Yang yawned. "It's still too early for yelling."

"Our first mission as a team." Ruby daydreamed. "Monsters around every corner, sleeping in strange places, oh and the camp fire stories! This is going to be the best thing ever!"

"I doubt that," The heiress scowled making everyone turn their heads. "Forgive me for not exactly being thrilled about at the thought of sleeping on the ground and not showering for a week. I don't know how I'll ever survive."

Although her team knew Weiss had a flair for the dramatics they could also tell there was some truth to what she was saying. The heiress was going to be miserable for the entire mission.

Yang's life suddenly took a turn for the better.

"Don't worry Weiss," Yang grinned. "It'll be just like camping, except now there are things trying to eat us."

"Way to look on the bright side." Blake muttered.

"I'm sure this will come to a shock to all of you but I've never been camping!" Weiss nearly shouted.

Her teammates paused and Blake was the only one who didn't seem surprised and continued sipping her coffee.

"What!?" The siblings cried.

"I've never been camping alright," Weiss hung her head. "Unless you count the time I had my maid and butler set up a tent in the upstairs library as a little girl. Father made them take it down though."

"So you've never been camping." Yang reiterated.

Ruby giggled. "You had a maid and butler."

"And an _upstairs_ library apparently." Blake said a little jealous. "Which is different from the downstairs library I'm sure."

"Why are you two surprised?" Weiss asked ignoring Blake's comment. "It's not exactly a secret I've had a sheltered childhood."

"I don't think _sheltered_ isn't the right word Weiss. Ruby is sheltered, you're just spoiled."

"Sometimes we forget you're not normal." Ruby snorted.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Look at me everyone." Ruby stood up and twirled. "I'm Weiss and I'm rich. Instead of buying me a dollhouse for my birthday, father bought me a real house on a private beach. Then I had my maid and butler fill the fridge with low fat vanilla ice cream."

Yang rolled her head back in laughter and even Blake chuckled at Ruby's near perfect imitation of the heiress.

Weiss was annoyed at being the butt of her partner's joke but was secretly embarrassed that Ruby wasn't too far off from the truth.

"Be quiet." She said at last when all other words failed her. Soon though even she was cracking a smile.

"Don't worry Weiss," Yang wiped a tear from her eye. "If you have any problems just ask me. I'm a camping professional."

"Um okay." She said unsure what to make of that.

"You are?" Ruby tilted her head.

"You bet sis." Yang gave a thumbs up. "Remember all of those years I visited you in Patchwork?"

"Yeah?"

"That might as well have been camping."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ruby raised her voice feeling slighted.

"You lived in a two bedroom cottage with no electricity, no running water, had an actual fireplace instead of a heater, and even a garden."

"We had a well." Ruby said in defense of her childhood home. "If we needed power there was a dust generator in the back. And what's wrong with a fireplace and strawberry garden?"

"Nothing," Yang shook her head. "I'm just surprised _y'all_ didn't have an outhouse to match."

Yang stressed the accent and Ruby's face turned red. Poking fun of Ruby's slight accent was one of her sister's favorite games.

"Surprising isn't it _eh_?" Ruby said mocking the fact her sister often used slang from Mistral because of their father.

Yang only laughed. "Go ahead, doesn't bother me a bit."

"It's not my fault I was raised in Patchwork and you were five minutes from the Melting Pot." Ruby said referencing the City of Vale's nickname.

"Oh." Yang said as a thought struck her. "You said you've never been camping didn't you Weiss?"

Ruby threw her hands up annoyed that she was being ignored by her sister.

"Took you long enough." The heiress rolled her eyes.

"So I take it you never had to go, _you know_." The blonde gave a devilish grin.

"Know what?" She said cautiously.

"Gone _you know what_ outside."

Blake covered her mouth to keep from laughing and soon Ruby understanding joined her.

"Gone what and done what to where and why is everyone laughing at me!" The heiress screamed.

Yang had lost it at this point and fell to the floor clutching her chest. Ruby felt it was her duty as Weiss' partner to tell her what Yang meant.

As Ruby whispered what her sister was saying the heiress' face turned a deep shade of crimson.

"Oh no." She squeaked. "You can't be serious?"

The girls couldn't decide what was funnier. The look on Weiss' face or the fact she had never thought of this herself.

The heiress however didn't think this was funny. Nothing was funny anymore. Nothing was going to be funny ever again for as long as she lived. She fell to her knees and prayed for this to be a nightmare. A horrible, cruel nightmare thought up by Ruby and Yang.

_This couldn't get any worse. _She cried to herself.

"Hello children!"

"AAAHHHH!" They screamed.

Everyone jumped as they hadn't heard the man walk into the prep room.

"Almost ready I see." The man said quickly.

_We're doomed._ Weiss thought immediately. Her teammates thought similarly.

"Oobleck?!" Ruby said wondering if this was a joke. "What are you doing here?!"

"That's Professor Oobleck or Dr. Oobleck." He chided. "And I happen to be your chaperon to the lost city."

"Great..."

"Problem miss Rose?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No, nothing! I said team RWBY reporting for duty sir!"

"Hmm," He adjusted his glasses and grimaced. "What may I ask is that?"

He pointed but all they saw was their supplies.

"That's our gear sir."

The professor shook his head in disgust. "I count over a dozen suitcases and backpacks between four huntresses. Besides the standard huntsman gear what are you bringing."

He brought his face inches from Weiss' who smiled awkwardly. The professor had a reputation for not caring about personal space.

"I'm just bringing the essentials."

"Such as?"

"Such as a coffee maker, back up coffee maker, pancake maker, make-up kit, portable picnic table, toothpaste and toothbru-"

"Okay," Oobleck waved her off. "I think I get the picture. What about you miss Belladonna?"

"Um...books." The faunus mumbled.

"How many?"

Blake shrugged unsure herself how many she'd taken with her. Perhaps coincidentally it was also how many books she owned.

"I see. And you miss Xiao Long?"

"A lot of things." She admitted but didn't want to go into details.

Weiss may have brought the entire dorm with her but the blonde wasn't much better. Every hair product and hair brush had found its way into her packs.

"What about you miss Rose? Pray tell what is in your luggage."

"Extra ammo."

"How much?"

Ruby bit her lip as she did the math in her head.

"All of it."

Oobleck grunted but nodded. "Fair enough."

He took a step toward the door before turning back clearly upset.

"You have ten minutes to condense your supplies to something more manageable or you'll be spending the day putting it all back." He eyed Ruby and shook his head in disappointment before leaving.

The team scrambled trying make everything fit and Weiss was near hysterics about leaving her suitcases. Yang was emptying her packs with survival gear and replacing them with her hair products. Blake was trying to decide which books had to go with her and which ones could stay at the dorm. Ruby was the only one not panicking. Instead she was fuming.

It had been her duty as team leader to make sure her team was prepared and she'd failed. She had gotten carried away with the rest of her team and had let them have their way. She wasn't sure if she was more upset with her team or herself.

"That's enough!"

Ruby kicked over a large pack spilling hair supplies all over the room.

"RUBY!" Her sister cried. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Fill your packs with actual survival gear and put what you can't carry in here." Ruby said ignoring her sister and addressing the whole team.

"The three of us will take turns carrying Yang's pack while she takes the biggest one that we can't. I'll keep the reserved ammo, Weiss you carry the medical supplies, and Blake you can carry the water. Any questions?"

"My special shampoo!" Yang said through clenched teeth looking ready to kill Ruby.

The caped-girl laid a gentle hand on her sister's shoulder.

"We all have to make sacrifices Yang. It's for the good of the team."

Reluctantly Yang nodded and began packing only her essential supplies as did the rest of the team. Ruby did spy Yang sneaking in a few bottles of shampoo into her pack but didn't say anything. By the end of the week she may be grateful her sister brought it.

"All done." Weiss breathed as everything fit into four regular packs and one massive pack for Yang. Anything too large or heavy for them to carry went to Yang who could carry hundreds of pounds without breaking a sweat.

"I'll take Yang's pack first." Ruby said reaching for the backpack.

"Oh no you don't." Yang beat her to it and threw it over her shoulder along with the extra large pack. "I can handle it."

Ruby shook her head.

"Yang I know you're super strong but that isn't fair to you. As team leader I won't let you do that."

The blonde shrugged the pack off her shoulder but kept it in her hand.

Yang looked her sister in the eyes and smiled sadly.

"You know sometimes I forget you're in charge sis." She said softly.

Weiss and Blake nodded in agreement.

"You're out leader," Yang smiled. "And we should treat you like our leader. Not like our kid sister."

Ruby didn't know what to say. More than anything she wanted to lead her team to victory. It was so hard not to let the older girls have their way or let them make the decisions. She would never say it but she looked up to each of them. They were the best fighters she'd ever seen and her best friends.

She didn't know it but they thought the same thing about her.

Yang started handing the backpack over but paused.

"Which is why," Yang continued. "I can't let you endanger the mission like that."

She tossed the backpack to Blake who easily snatched it.

Ruby stared at them open mouthed.

"But you just said-" She pointed an accusatory finger at her sister who shrugged.

"I'm only looking out for the team." Yang confessed throwing Ruby's words back in her face.

"But-"

"You just got out of the hospital Ruby." Blake explained. "You've said it yourself you can't have too much weighing you down or your semblance will work double duty. Besides Yang's my partner I should be the one carrying it."

"That'll just wear you out." Ruby argued.

Blake gave a sly grin. "I'm not sure if you've noticed Ruby but I'm a faunus. I'm more athletic than you or Weiss. It'll take more than a backpack to slow me down."

Ruby didn't seem happy about it but it was clear her teammates had won this round.

"Fine, but if you get tired it's my turn."

"Deal."

"Thanks guys." She said slightly embarrassed.

Ruby blushed knowing her team had her back and were looking out for her.

The door opened.

"I'm glad that is out of the way," Oobleck poked his head into the room. "Because your fifteen minutes are up. The bullhead is ready to take us to the lost city."

The team gave each other nervous glances. This was it. They had been training for this day for so long and dreaming about it even longer. Today they were one step closer to becoming real huntresses.

"Team RWBY reporting for duty sir." Ruby said.

Oobleck smiled. "Professor or Doctor will do miss Rose. Shall we be on our way?"

The caped-girl nodded and began sprinting to the bullhead with her team right behind her.

She slowed as something occurred to her.

_Didn't Oobleck say we only only had ten minutes?_

"What's wrong sis?" Yang asked as they ran side by side.

"Nothing, just letting _y'all_ catch up to me."

Yang smiled. "Run as fast as you want Ruby. We've got your back."

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter so I hope you had fun reading. The camping bit with Weiss really tickled me. I honestly do picture Ruby having a slight southern accent while I see Yang's being Canadian. Of course this is because of the voice actresses but the sisters having different accents really paints the picture that these two are different from each other. Plus it makes the world seem a little bit bigger in my opinion. It's just something I wanted to add to the story. Once again thank you for reading and all of the support. It's a joy to know so many people enjoy the story. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who without Him none of this would have been possible. God bless)**


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Outside the Walls

* * *

The bullhead soared through the dreary skies just as the sun peaked over the horizon. Down below the expansive forests stretched beyond the eye and team RWBY couldn't help but wonder what was lurking in the shadows.

The City of Vale disappeared behind them as Mt. Glenn came into focus. In truth the lost city wasn't too far from the City of Vale but it felt like another world outside the walls. This was the world of Grimm and this was their land. Man had tried to stake a claim on the mountain and the Grimm had taken it back.

Blake had grown up outside the kingdoms so the protection of walls was a luxury to her. More than once she had stumbled across a village that had long since been destroyed by Grimm and forgotten by man. She knew the horrors that the beasts left behind first hand.

Her partner Yang had traveled between kingdoms upon graduating from Signal and knew what life was like outside the walls, but she never spent more than a day or two in the wilderness.

Weiss was less familiar with the outside world. She had traveled to all four kingdoms countless times on business but always from a luxurious airship with a bullhead escort. This would be the first time her feet touched the ground.

Ruby had never left the kingdom of Vale once in her life. The Isle of Patch had always been her home and was notorious for its safety from Grimm. While she had run into Grimm on field trips at Beacon it had always been inside restricted for training like the Emerald Forest. Never outside the walls.

The caped-girl took a big bite from a chocolate chip cookie as Weiss looked on in disgust.

"How can you eat that for breakfast Ruby?" She gagged. "Especially when our pilot just got his flying licence last week?"

The heiress leaned over looking ill from the turbulence.

"Cookies are a part of a balanced breakfast." She explained. "And it calms my stomach."

"Uhh..." The heiress groaned.

"What's the matter Weissy," Yang quipped. "Feeling sick?"

"No. Now shut up." She snapped.

Yang snorted and began to think of ways to make the heiress' life miserable before being elbowed by her partner.

_Be nice. _Blake's eyes said.

The blonde moaned at the missed opportunity of teasing Weiss but complied. Across the bullhead her sister had given her a similar look but the chocolate smeared on her face made it lose its effect.

"For God's sake Ruby use a napkin." The heiress demanded.

"Okay."

Ruby wiped her lips on her sleeve and smiled a toothy grin full of chocolate. Yang giggled while Blake rolled her eyes at Ruby's childish antics. Weiss however turned her green face to the door and gagged.

Her sickness washed away however when the bullhead finally flew over the mountain.

Down below was the lost city.

"It's beautiful." She said in awe forgetting her sickness.

"The lost city." Ruby whispered.

"Wow." Yang choked as her partner nodded.

The city was more than the team had imagined. An entire city lost to Grimm.

To most people the lost city was a relic of the past. A mistake that cost hundreds of thousands of people their lives. Something long ago and far away that could never happen again, and yet it had only been a few decades since the tragedy unfolded and wasn't too far from the City of Vale.

The lost city was a constant reminder that the creatures of Grimm were patiently waiting at their doors for an opportunity to strike.

Team RWBY's mission was to make sure the Grimm never got that chance.

_Not a single soul is in that city._ Ruby thought sadly. _They're all gone...it's just like Patchwork._

"This is our stop." Oobleck announced as the bullhead came to a halt in the air. Because it was a huntsman grade bullhead it's motor was silent and the team could hear their breath catch. They were still a thousand feet in the air.

"Um, Professor we're still in the air." Ruby pointed out. "Really, really high in the air."

"One thing at a time miss Rose. First we must disguise our scent."

Oobleck sprayed a bottle of what looked like cologne all over his clothes before passing the team their own bottles.

"What is this." Weiss looked for a label but didn't see any and was too scared to sniff.

"Certain Grimm particularly Beowolves have a fantastic sense of smell miss Schnee. This will cover our scent so we aren't easily tracked."

"Sorry Weiss," Yang laughed. "Looks like you're about to waste hundreds of lien worth of perfume with Grimm repellent."

The heiress didn't respond but didn't seem trouble at the thought of her expensive perfume going to waste. She could always buy more after all.

"What is this stuff." Ruby raised a brow as she sniffed her arm where she'd sprayed.

"You don't want to know." Blake gagged and held the bridge of her nose.

As a faunus her senses were more keen than the others and more easily over powered.

Ruby looked cautious but curiosity got the better of her so she turned to the professor who grinned.

"Hyenas are an extraordinary creature if I do say so myself." He remarked.

Ruby, Weiss, and Yang froze from their spraying and looked with wide eyes at Blake hoping he was kidding. She snarled at the bottle and nodded

"Disgusting!" They all cried.

Both Weiss and Yang poked their heads out the door of the airship while Ruby grimaced. The caped-girl liked the situation about as much as her team but did what had to be done.

"Come on guys," She continued to spray. "It beats Grimm tracking us all over the city. Hurry up and get sprayed."

Ruby really hoped the stuff could be washed out of her cape.

"Speak for yourself." Weiss remarked holding her stomach. "I think I'd rather be mauled by a Beowolf."

"I second that." Blake responded still pinching her nose..

Ruby shot her teammates a dirty look before hearing her sister's cries.

"EEEEPPP! It's in my hair!"

Yang thrashed around all the while Oobleck observed the team shaking his head.

"Children," He announced. "If you would like I can return you to Beacon at once where you could shower and clean up."

"Really?" Weiss beamed.

"NO!" The caped-girl yelled.

All eyes turned to Ruby who shouldered a red pack and put a yellow under her arm. They recognized it as Yang's pack Blake was supposed to carry.

Suddenly the girl with chocolate on her sleeve and crumbs on her chin regained her authority as petals began scattering from her cape.

"We're going and that's final." She ordered. "Hurry up and spray yourselves down so you can meet me down there."

"Wait-" Yang began.

Ruby held up her hand.

Before the rest of the team could argue the caped-girl leaped out the door to the city below.

Her team ran to the doors trying to catch her but it was too late.

"I'd hurry if I were you." Oobleck said. "She's about to be all alone in a city full of Grimm. It also appears she forgot her jump cable."

Ruby's jump cable hung on the airship but obviously wasn't connected.

All three girls were sprayed down and had packs shouldered in seconds. They too left their jump cables instead relying on Weiss' glyphs to slow their descent.

Although all three girls should have been terrified jumping out of a bullhead thousands of feet in the air they couldn't help feel an adrenaline rush. Even Weiss and Blake were feeling a sense of giddiness.

The city seemed to swallow them the closer they got. They couldn't imagine a city populated by Grimm and not people.

Once they were close enough to the ground both Weiss and Yang hit the ground rolling to slow their momentum even more while Blake simply landed on her feet.

"I guess being a faunus has its perks." Weiss noted which made Blake give a sly grin.

The blonde scraped gravel off her arms while searching for her sister.

All around them were rusted cars cars in style decades ago. Towering over them were buildings that had either been left unfinished or partially destroyed by years of neglect. Nature began to overtake the city and a tree grew in the middle on an intersection.

"There she is." Blake pointed behind them to a parking lot where the caped-girl standing over a Beowolf as it began to disintegrate into rose petals.

"What was that?" Weiss demanded as they met up with their leader. "A warning the next time you do something stupid will suffice."

The caped-girl shouldered her weapon.

"The welcoming party is dead," Ruby said ignoring her partner. "But more are prowling around. Where's Oobleck?"

On cue a cable hit the ground just feet from where they were standing and the professor's feet gently hit the ground all the while taking sips from his thermos.

"Good to see you are all still alive. For now..."

Yang rolled her eyes and ignored the professor's rude remark.

"I don't see anything Ruby. Are you sure-"

"Hold it." Blake interrupted holding up her hand. "Grimm eight o'clock.

Everyone turned to see where she was pointing.

"Ah yes a lone Beowolf." Oobleck said a little too loudly as he pulled his binoculars up. "Absolutely fascinating. He looks rather young. I barely see a speckle of white armor."

"Uh, he's not alone." Weiss noted keeping her voice soft.

"You're right miss Schnee," He said even more loudly. "It appears to be an entire pack. As long as we keep our distance and remain silent I believe we'll be fine."

"They're looking this way." Blake deadpanned.

"I wonder if they heard my rather loud voice?" Oobleck mused. "I've been told it often carries."

"Let's take them down!" Yang activated her gauntlets but before she could even take a single step forward a cloud of rose petals obscured her vision.

"Ruby!" She cried in frustration.

The four closest Beowolves were cut in half before they knew what happened and the other five froze in confusion before they too met the same fate. Soon all the Grimm were disintegrating and Ruby was looking for more.

"What are you doing?!" Yang stomped to her younger sister's side. "You're going to use up all of your aura if you keep that up. Aren't we supposed to be a team?"

She glanced at Blake and Weiss who had caught up but they were too surprised by Ruby's actions and speed to be angry. They'd almost forgotten how their leader turned into a different person in battle. Gone was the childish girl with chocolate stains on her cloths, instead she was replaced by the one of the most dangerous fighters at Beacon.

"Our gunshots will just draw more Grimm." Ruby said simply. "If we're going to be here for a week we're going to need to conserve all the dust and ammunition we can, so for now we only use it when we absolutely have to. By the end of the week we're going to need it if we're not already out."

The caped-girl turned to leave but paused. She un-shouldered the yellow pack and tossed it to Blake.

"Oh right." The faunus said remembering she was supposed to carry her partner's pack. Suddenly the pack felt heavier than she remembered and wondered if it hand anything to do with the weight of the moment.

Ruby turned to leave again and everyone was taken aback by her ruling and change in behavior.

"If you'll excuse me," Oobleck chuckled. "I believe I'll be following her. She seems to know what she's doing and I'd like to make it home alive."

He followed and the team was left staring at their backs.

"They've got a point." Blake said dryly.

"I don't like living in a world where Ruby makes sense." Weiss whined.

"Easy for you guys to say." Yang said as she put her gauntlets on safety. "You all have blades I don't."

Blake un-sheathed Gambol Shroud and offered her partner the cleaver that acted as the sheath.

Yang shook her head and pushed the weapon away.

"That's alright. It's better off in your hands. I can't remember the last time I actually swung a sword anyway."

"What are you going to do punch them?"

"Maybe you should headbutt them with your hard head." Weiss joked.

"Something like that." Yang cracked her knuckles and gave a devilish grin. A small fire sparked in her hair and traveled down her arms before being extinguished.

"I'll have the city cleared by lunch." The blond declared as she ran to catch up with her sister.

Blake and Weiss shook their heads not liking the sound of that.

"She's your partner," Weiss stated. "That makes her your responsibility."

"Yeah," The faunus sighed. "I'll try to keep her from getting herself killed."

The heiress bit her lip in deep thought.

"The siblings are going to be the death us aren't they?"

"Probably." Blake agreed.

Weiss watched her partner dispatch another Grimm. She checked her wrist scroll to make sure it was on and smiled at her partner's vitals

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. This is another chapter I had a lot of fun writing. Something about Weiss' peevishness and the character interactions this chapter was a lot of fun to write. The team is finally in the lost city and are surrounded by Grimm. Should be fun. Also I'll leave it up to you to decide if Oobleck was being serious with their scent being masked by the spray or if he's just playing a sick joke and wanted a laugh. I'm rooting for the latter personally. Once again thank you for reading and all of the support and kind words. You all rock. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who without Him none of this would have been possible. God bless**


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Crumbs off the Table

* * *

_Man was born from dust and it is to dust he shall return. We are the children of light and the Grimm harbingers of darkness. Born from shadows it is the shadows we will return the Grimm never to threaten our light again._

* * *

No one on Remnant knew the true physiology of Grimm. They had no blood nor did they have internal organs. They oozed a tar like substance but it's identity was unknown. They did not sleep and they did not require food or drink for sustenance. The Grimm ignored animals except when fighting over territory but humans they actively hunted.

Once dead their bodies disintegrated too rapidly to discover any secrets they may hide. Captured Grimm also had the nasty habit of mysteriously dying or disintegrating. No one had ever seen a Grimm born as it seemed as though they were bred from shadows.

One thing was for sure though, even without internal organs and blood, Yang could break their bones and kill them with a well placed punch.

"And stay down!" The blonde cried victoriously as the Ursa Major finally fell.

The fire in her fists and hair died and Yang leaned over to catch her breath and wipe the sweat off her brow. She caught her partner's eye who was doing the same.

The blonde's yellow pack was against Blake's foot as she leaned beside a car in its shadow. The faunus was too proud to admit it but the extra pack's weight _was_ slowing her down and she needed a rest.

"Thirty-seven." Yang gloated through deep breaths.

Blake grinned wearily. "Sixty-four."

Yang cursed.

"Yeah well I'm using my fists so mine count double."

"Just admit that clearing the city in one day is impossible."

Yang shook her head. "I'm just getting warmed up."

"Give it a rest Yang." Weiss complained. "We've been at it for hours and we're all tired. And No one cares about your kill count."

The heiress was sitting in the shade pouring water over her wrists to cool off. The sky promised rain but all it gave was a dreary overcast and humidity.

"You're just jealous that I'm winning." She grinned.

"No I am not." The heiress huffed. "I'll have you know I'm at fifty-two."

Yang gritted her teeth.

"And I believe _my_ partner is winning."

All eyes turned to the caped-girl who was guzzling down water from a red water bottle not caring if most of it was falling down her chin.

"What's your kill count up to Rubes?" Yang asked tentatively.

The caped-girl swallowed a mouthful of water and shrugged.

"I lost count at a hundred-twenty."

Weiss cheered and hugged her partner who spit water out and began choking.

Yang and Blake both let out a curse and moaned.

"Looks like we get first and second showers when we get back to Beacon." Weiss laughed wickedly. "I hope there is enough hot water for the two of you."

"Shut up." Yang growled.

"I told you this was a stupid bet." Blake had tried to tell Yang the error of betting against Ruby in a Grimm slaying contest but her partner hadn't listened.

"Which you agreed to." Weiss pointed out.

Blake gave the heiress a cold stare.

"It's not over yet." Yang stood up and grabbed her partner by the arm.

"Hey!"

"Come on Blake. There is no way I'm showering fourth with no hot water back at the dorm."

The faunus quickly grabbed her partner's pack and was dragged away as Weiss fantasized about being clean again while Ruby untied her shoe.

"You alright?" Weiss asked seeing Ruby rub her foot.

The caped-girl paused. "Just a rock in my shoe."

Her partner didn't see any rock.

"It's not your injuries is it?"

Ruby massaged the area where her foot had been irritated and grimaced.

"Nope I'm fine." She put the shoe back on and carried Crescent Rose over her left shoulder.

"And your right shoulder is hurting again." Weiss noted un-surprised.

Ruby sighed. "I'm ambidextrous Weiss. Maybe I just feel like being left handed for the day."

Weiss rolled her eyes at Ruby's attempt at being sarcastic.

"Maybe you should take a rest." Weiss suggested.

"I'll be fine." She promised. "Let's get back to work before Yang and Blake catch up."

The heiress hesitated but reluctantly nodded. She wanted her partner safe but she also really, really wanted hot water when they returned.

"Alright fine." Weiss conceded. "I'll check the alley."

"Okay I'll check around here a little more." Ruby shrugged off her red pack making Weiss suspicious.

_I wonder if that's code for 'I need to rest for a minute'. _She mused.

The partners split up but made sure they were never too far from each other. If one heard the other in trouble they'd be by their side in seconds with a cloud of roses or a haste glyph.

Upon entering the alley Weiss wished she hadn't. A rat scurried past her foot nearly making her scream. There also seemed to be some sort of green liquid dripping from a gutter.

The heiress shuddered. The alley was long and cast jagged shadows due to decay. The entire city was decaying but she felt very much alone at that moment and vulnerable. It felt as though a monster could be creeping on her any moment...

"Sup Weiss?!" Someone grabbed her shoulder.

"EEEEPPPP!" The heiress drew her rapier.

"Chill, it's me." Yang threw her hands up.

"Don't do that!" The heiress cried swatting the blonde away. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

The blonde chuckled and dodged Weiss' fist.

"Oh come on Weiss give me a break." Yang begged. "Ruby's immune to my sneak attacks after all these years and Blake can hear me coming a mile away. You're the only one left."

"Go tell Ruby you ate all her cookies or go tell Blake that you read one of the books under her bed. That'll scare them."

"Oh that's mean...I like that," She grinned. "And I don't have to worry about scaring Blake to death because she has nine lives."

The blonde gave a thumbs up while the heiress' eyes narrowed.

"Get it? Because she's a cat faunus." Yang poked her fingers together as if connecting the dots for Weiss.

"I get it." She snapped. "It just wasn't funny."

"That was A-list material."

"You wish."

"So what are you doing over here?" Yang asked looking around at rat droppings and something that looked vaguely like poison ivy.

"My job, hunting Grimm."

"And you do it right where Blake and me are hunting. You're not trying to steal our kills are you?" She regarded the heiress suspiciously.

Weiss looked over her shoulder to make sure her partner wasn't around and kept her voice low.

"If you must know I wanted to check my scroll to see if Ruby's alright."

"Did something happen in the five minutes we were away?"

"No, well maybe." She bit her lip. "Ruby's been running around all day using her semblance. Every time I look at my scroll her aura has jumped. Sometimes in the middle of a fight she's right where ours are at and other times when she's resting she's below fifty percent. I can't figure it out."

Yang frowned at this revelation.

"And she's been acting weird all day and I know for a fact she's more injured than she's letting on."

"She's just tense. We all are. This is Ruby's first time leading a mission and she's had a rough week. Let's cut her some slack."

The heiress' muscles relaxed and reluctantly she nodded.

"I know she just got out of the hospital yesterday Weiss and I'm worried too, but we're going to have to trust her." Yang frowned as she said it. "Don't forget Ruby was able to take you on in a match practically one handed."

Yang seemed to be trying to convince herself as much as Weiss.

"True." Weiss admitted. "Maybe I'm just being paranoid."

Yang tenderly grabbed her shoulder. "No, you're being responsible and Ruby could use some adult supervision."

Weiss snorted in a very un-lady like manner. "That's putting it mildly. Earlier today she was so excited to go on the mission that she forgot she still had her sleep mask on and thought she'd gone blind. I physically had to tackle her to the ground and remove it."

The blonde chuckled at her sister's obliviousness.

"We should trust Ruby. She's capable of taking care of herself." Yang paused and grinned devilishly.

"But that doesn't mean we shouldn't check on her aura just in case."

Weiss copied her grin. "Good point."

The heiress rolled up her sleeve and brought up her partner's vitals.

"Right now everything seems to be-"

_*crunch*_

The sound of glass breaking behind them caught their attention.

"What was that?" Weiss whispered.

"I don't know." Yang replied back. "You go check it out."

"Me why me?" She whined.

"Because you're the one with the sword remember?"

"Oh right." She stared down at Myternaster as if it had betrayed her.

It took Yang pushing Weiss for her to get a move on. Cautiously the heiress stalked the window where they'd heard the sound and raised her rapier.

_Please don't be a rat, please don't be a rat. _She prayed, pleaded, begged, and cursed.

A pair of red eyes hung in the darkness.

The heiress let out a breath relieved. She had never been so happy to see the eyes of a Grimm wishing to tear her head off.

"Got you."

**BBBBROOOOOOAAAARRRRR!**

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"

The heiress cried out in terror as the red eyes tore through the air. Her rapier erupted in flames engulfing everything around her.

The fire didn't stop until she had spent the entire dust crystal in one go.

The blonde clapped slowly while Weiss was frozen in terror.

"Good job." Yang stomped out a small flame at her feet.

Weiss held her hand over her chest gasping for breath. Beads of sweat rolled down her pale face as she closed her eyes. The heiress' entire body was shaking.

"What was that thing!?" She cried.

"That used to be a Nevermore." Yang said looking down at what was left of the black bird. "Now it's BBQ."

"I know a Nevermore when I see one." She hissed. "I mean it's roar. Since when can they do that!?"

Yang raised a brow and wondered if Weiss was kidding.

The heiress could feel her heart hammering against her chest and knot in her chest. She fell to her knees keeping her head down.

"What's going on?" Ruby demanded suddenly appearing in a cloud of roses.

Seconds later Blake stood beside her pointing her gun in the windows ready to shoot that anything moved.

They were startled when they heard Yang bang her fist on a dumpster laughing.

"Nothing. The princess got scared by a little Nevermore." Yang received a dirty look from the heiress but she continued anyway. "Apparently she's never heard a Nevermore's roar before."

"It was huge." Weiss argued.

"It was the size of a chicken." Yang reveled in the heiress' discomfort but Ruby sensed how shaken her partner was.

"You've really never heard a Nevermore's roar?" Ruby asked. Nevermores were one of the most common types of Grimm in every kingdom. At some point every kid has been terrorized least once in their life by the small flying Grimm.

Weiss shook her head in shame.

"The only time I ever got close to Grimm before Beacon was with my tutors and we never worked with Nevermores. The Emerald Forest was my first real exposure to Grimm in the wild. Also I kind of expected a giant Nevermore to roar, not a little one."

This was news to Yang and Blake but Ruby wasn't surprised. She had seen how stiff the heiress had been when they were surrounded by Beowolves in the forest and the Grimm in Professor Port's class. The heiress was still getting used to the monsters they were to face day after day.

"It's okay Weiss, to be honest Nevermores still scare me." Ruby admitted. "I think we were all terrified the first time we came across one."

Her teammates gave blank stares and Ruby tilted her head to Weiss on the ground.

"Oh," Yang said realizing what Ruby was saying. "Yeah Nevermores suck."

The leader turned to the faunus.

"Yeah." Blake deadpanned. "They suck..."

Ruby shook her head disproving of the partners' act but grinned anyway.

Weiss smiled appreciative that her partner didn't think she was a coward or hold her upbringing against her.

"Thanks."

Ruby held out a hand to help her partner up.

"No problem."

"What's all of the commotion about?!" Professor Oobleck yelled from the other end of the alley.

Everyone turned.

"I have spotted some Grimm over here! They look absolutely dreadful."

He waved to his right. "It also would appear they don't like loud noises!"

The team rolled their eyes and took deep breaths. Their chaperon had an uncanny ability to find Grimm and alert them to their presence.

"What are we standing around here for?" Weiss said pulling herself back together. "Ruby, we have a bet to win."

"That's more like it." Yang agreed cracking her knuckles.

The team separated to dispatch the Grimm as fast as possible.

Oobleck began following the team more closely and seemed to single out the blonde. He watched her every move as she took down a small Beowolf pack. Once the last one fell and her shoulders slumped he confronted her.

"May I ask you a personal question miss Xiao Long?"

Yang opened her yellow water bottle with her teeth and nodded. "Go for it."

"Would it be too bold of me asking why you joined Beacon Academy or why you decided to become a huntress in the first place?"

The blonde paused and looked confused as if she didn't understand the question.

She shrugged. "I just really want to be a huntress that's all."

"And why do you wish to become a warrior who's sole task is to kill soulless beasts?"

"Because I want the adventure." She took a deep breath and lifted her hands to the city around her. "I live for places like this. I want to wake up having no idea where I am or what I'm going to be doing tomorrow. I want to see everything there is to see and experience everything worth experiencing.

"So if you helped a few people on your quest for adventure you'd call it a success?"

The blonde played with her hair.

"I've never really thought about it to be honest but I guess so. It's like a win, win. Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing miss Xiao Long. I was just curious that's all. I hope you can save many lives on your quest for adventure."

"Erm, thanks. I think."

Oobleck let her be after that. Yang couldn't help but think she'd said something wrong. She could have lied but that wasn't who she was, besides he probably already knew the answer before asking the question.

Yang heard the professor's voice again but this time it was directed as Weiss who had just finished a Grimm with her rapier. She was kneeling, catching her breath over the Beowolf and the blonde crawled behind a rusted car to hear what they were saying.

"Hunting monsters is what you do miss Schnee not why you do it. Why would the heiress to the largest dust mining company choose to become a huntress instead of having a comfy job at Atlas? I doubt it has little to do with money or fame. You seem to have plenty of both already."

The heiress pulled her rapier out of the Beowolf's chest and watched it disappear into nothingness.

"I'm a Schnee." She said dutifully. "I have a name and a legacy to uphold. That is all the reason I need."

"That's...interesting." Oobleck managed when he realized that was all she was going to say.

He coughed before walking away not giving the heiress a second glance. It seemed he was just as impressed with her answer as he was with Yang's.

Weiss took a deep breath and looked down at her rapier clearly troubled.

"That was well rehearsed." Yang noted as she came out of hiding to greet her teammate. "How long did you practice that in the mirror before coming to Beacon?"

Weiss' eyes narrowed but she didn't answer.

"You shouldn't eavesdrop it's rude."

"Yeah sure." Yang said absently as she watched Oobleck. "Come on he's going over to Blake. I want to hear this."

Weiss scoffed and turned away as the blonde ran off.

She glanced back.

"Wait for me!" She cried.

They crept to the side of a building where a flock of small Nevermore were attempting to intimidate Blake with their roars but unfortunately for them she was unfazed by their loud barks. She simply pulled the ribbon of her katana and in seconds the flying Grimm had been sliced into pieces.

"What about you miss Belladonna?" The professor asked. "You seem to walk with a purpose to your life. Why did you decide to hunt Grimm?"

Blake barely needed a moment to think. "There's too much injustice in the world. I want to live in a world without discrimination and without hatred."

"Very noble of you. How do you plan on making this a reality?"

"I...I...Umm…"She stuttered. "I don't know yet."

Oobleck nodded.

"I see. Well when you work it out do tell me. I'd like to live in that world too."

Before Blake could say a word Oobleck turned his back and walked toward the sound of a scythe slicing through the air.

The faunus took a deep breath.

"You guys need something?" Blake directed to where Yang and Weiss were hiding.

Yang poked her head around the corner and grinned. "I take it you heard us?"

"You breath through your mouth and Weiss clicks every time she walks in those heels. Plus you both smell like hyenas."

Before the two could argue Blake held up her hand.

"Come on. Let's go see what Ruby says."

Weiss and Yang stared at each other.

"Wait for us!" They cried doing their best to keep up while breathing through their noses and walking on the balls of their feet.

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. I thought it would be interesting if Weiss didn't have the greatest understanding of Grimm unlike the rest of her team. Seeing her scared made me laugh plus no matter how cowardly she may appear having a flaming rapier kind of off sets that. I also liked the idea of the bet. Seemed like something Yang would do. Sure hope Ruby's alright. Anyway, thank you for reading and all of the support you all have given me. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless**


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Ruby and Goliath

* * *

Professor Oobleck stood by as the caped-girl sliced a young Beowolf in half with ease. The rest of the team watched from behind a barricade and waited to see what the professor was going to ask and what Ruby's response would be.

They were on the tips of their toes listening.

"It's getting dark." Oobleck remarked as he watched the sun setting behind the hills. "Let's make camp in that apartment complex just ahead of us. We want to be as high off the ground as possible before nightfall."

"Right." Ruby agreed watching the Beowolf disappear with a passive face. "I'll find the team and-"

"That will not be necessary." He shook his head. "Your team is right behind us."

Blake, Weiss, and Yang froze.

They both turned their heads to the faunus who's mouth was hanging open.

"Guess you're not as stealthy as you thought." The heiress noted.

"Busted." Yang muttered.

She peeked behind the barricade and waved.

"Hey guys. There you are. We were looking all over for you."

Blake and Weiss poked their heads out grinning as their cheeks turned red.

"Um, why were you hiding behind that barricade?" Ruby raised an eye brow.

"We were um…" Yang couldn't think of an answer.

"Just checking on it." Weiss said.

Blake nodded. "They don't make them like they used too."

Yang gave the barricade a slap perhaps too forcefully and it collapsed with a loud _thud _causing everyone to cringe and look around to make sure no Grimm had heard. Everyone gave the blonde a cold stare and she shrugged.

"Oops."

"No matter." Oobleck interrupted. "Night is falling fast and soon so will the Grimm. You three go to the top floor of the apartment building and set up camp killing all the Grimm you see. Your leader and I will scout the perimeter."

"But-" Yang hesitated feeling uneasy about leaving her sister's side in a Grimm infested city but also knew that there was no safer place than at the side of a huntsman, no matter how strange and quirky he was.

"Just hurry back." She said concerned.

Oobleck smiled and nodded. "Have no fear, miss Rose shall return me in one piece."

The three girls left for the building that at one time may have been the most luxurious housing overlooking the city but was now falling apart and rotting. The building looked like an opened wound that had yet to scab over.

Yang kept turning back to her sister making sure she was alright. Her partners could sense her unease.

"She'll be okay." Blake said.

"Worry about us Yang." Weiss cried. "Ruby will be with Oobleck while we're clearing that disgusting dump. I doubt it even has a working elevator. We'll have to clear the entire building and climb forty flights of stairs with heavy backpacks."

The heiress continued to gripe but the duo simply ignored her.

Oobleck watched the trio disappear from eyesight into the dark building. He took a sip from his thermos and pointed to a small clearing where the city met the forest. He could see trees shaking in the distance. A lesson in perspective seemed in order.

"Let's take a look at that clearing miss Rose."

Ruby nodded and followed the professor. The closer they got the more Ruby sensed something was off. She could feel the ground trembling. She looked through her sniper rifle and her mouth fell open.

"Wh-what is tha-that Professor?" She stuttered.

Five giants towered over the treetops walking in formation.

"That Ruby Rose are real Grimm, not just a fledgling Beowolf or Ursa."

"They're enormous."

"They're called Goliath,"

"Fitting name."

He raised his binoculars and furrowed his brow.

"Quite, and from the look of them they're around three hundred to four hundred years old."

"How can you tell?" She asked amazed.

"If you've been paying attention in Professor Port's ecology class I'm sure you already know." He chided. "After all he does love to tell the story of how he killed a Goliath in his youth and even had a replica made as a trophy.

Ruby grinned sheepishly for being treated as a child.

"It's the size of the Grimm and white armor." She answered.

Oobleck nodded. "There is no way to tell the real age of a Grimm of course but the size of the beast and armor are good indicators, and from the tusks of the lead Goliath I'd say he's very old. Maybe even half a millennium..."

To Ruby they looked like giant elephants. She had never seen an elephant in person but Yang had brought her home pictures from her time in Vacuo. Those seemed like dwarves compared to these though. Even the Nevermore and Deathstalker were tiny compared to the smallest Goliath in the back.

"Do we kill them?" She shifted her weight and regarded her weapon with uncertainty.

_*hic* _She covered her mouth.

Oobleck laughed. "No that would not be a wise idea. I doubt your rifle could leave so much as a scratch. Those aren't just mindless Grimm. They have centuries worth of experience and are intelligent. There is a reason why they've survived for so long."

Ruby nearly dropped Crescent Rose when one of the Goliath looked back at her.

"Don't worry we're hidden but they know someone is here. They'll leave us alone as long as we keep our distance. If they attack and kill us they know only more huntsmen will come. They'll just keep circling the city waiting."

"Waiting for what?"

"For us to bleed." He said darkly. "They waited until the city was weakened before attacking, and once they joined the battle all hope was lost. They probably waited centuries for an opportunity and thousands lost their lives. They'll wait patiently for another to make the rest of Vale fall."

Ruby felt incredibly small just then. Humans lived such short life spans and huntsmen even less, but their enemies only grew stronger and wiser. She had a true appreciation of who she was now at war with.

Grimm were evil, plain and simple.

"Why doesn't the huntsmen just take them out? Or the military?"

"Because many lives would be lost. It would take dozens of huntsmen and airships to even stand a chance and by then the entire area would be in an uproar. Besides, the Goliaths aren't the only ancient Grimm around. There are others..."

Ruby kept a watchful eye on the herd and couldn't believe such creatures were so close to the City of Vale.

She had seen Beowolves destroy an entire village before and butcher its inhabitants first hand. She was standing in the lost city where thousands had died. She had read the history books and heard the stories about Grimm.

A chill ran down her spine.

"Not the City of Vale..." She whispered. "Never..."

Oobleck lowered his binoculars and took a moment to gather his thoughts. What he had to say was important.

"Have I ever told the story of why I wanted to become a huntsman to the class?" He asked.

Ruby shook her head. It was possible he had but she also had a habit of tuning her professors out.

She kept that to herself of course.

"It's not because I was overwhelmingly good with a weapon or have a high aura, quite the opposite actually. To be honest I only passed initiation because I had a very talented friend."

Ruby's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Killing Grimm may have been my duty but it was never my passion."

"Teaching!" He smiled. "That is my passion. I want to learn everything I can about the beasts and teach students like you how to kill them. Grimm never forget but we do. Every generation falls into the same traps and if you do not learn from history you are doomed to repeat it."

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked.

He sighed.

_Because you're Summer's daughter..._

"Because one day you are going to make a fine huntress Ruby Rose. You understand the Grimm better than most your age and have the skills to make a difference. I did not. I'm not even thirty-five years of age but I'm already a retired huntsman. I want to live in a world where we are not doomed to repeat history."

He spread his arms as if to show off the city to Ruby for the first time. This was not the first city to fall and it wouldn't be the last.

Ruby looked around and tried not to see the city as Patchwork so as not to be overwhelmed. Instead she focused on the mission.

"Should we finish the perimeter sweep?" She asked.

"Yes," Oobleck coughed. "Your team will be waiting for you."

Ruby nodded and took off thankful to get back to her job and to kill whatever Grimm may be around.

She had a new perspective on the world though. What she and her team were doing was brushing crumbs off a table. Beowolves were deadly as were Ursa and Nevermores, but the Goliaths were a different kind of Grimm. And what did he mean about other ancient Grimm?

Oobleck was right. Ruby did understand Grimm better that most, and now she knew them even better. She also knew why she was there.

_I want to live in a world where no one ever loses someone they love. _She thought privately. _Where no little girl loses her mother..._

* * *

With the scouting mission over the caped-girl and professor Oobleck ascended the apartment building. Ruby knew her team had cleared the building of Grimm but she couldn't help but be nervous. Ruby wasn't claustrophobic but Crescent Rose was. A six foot long scythe was too cumbersome in a narrow hallway and her sniper rifle wasn't much better.

When her team had practiced breaching and clearing she was the least useful. Blake always took point because of her night vision, superior senses, and stealth. Yang was always second and destroyed anything that got in their way. Ruby was in the middle trying to stay out of her team's way while Weiss brought up the rear. If anything tried to sneak up on them the heiress could hold them off with an ice glyph while everyone regrouped.

Ruby hated breaching and clearing practice.

The pair followed arrows left behind by her team as many staircases had collapsed over the years and created a maze to the top. Claw marks filled the halls and occasionally red stains could be seen on walls and on the floor. Ruby did her best to pretend they were just from spilled juice.

Ruby nearly cried when she finally made it up the last of the stairs.

"Hey guys." She dropped her pack exhausted. "We're back."

Her sister and Blake stood inside an apartment's living room where a fire had been built and they were unpacking.

Yang stopped unrolling her sleeping bag and ran up to give her sister a hug.

"You're back." She breathed.

"You're not going to do that every time are you?" Ruby whined.

"We'll see." Was all she replied before letting her younger sister go.

"How was clearing the building?" Oobleck asked interrupting the moment. "I expected it to take longer."

Yang clasped Blake on the shoulder who turned her head.

"She had this place cleared in five minutes." The blonde bragged.

Blake rolled her eyes.

"Any faunus could do the same thing." She said modestly. "Grimm smell like death and shadows. Besides the Nevermores I didn't smell anything."

Oobleck turned his head to Blake. "And pray tell what does a shadow smell like?"

She shrugged uncomfortably. "They don't but it's the best description of what Grimm smell like."

The professor shook his head.

"You're describing color to a blind man I'm afraid." He laughed before getting serious again. "What about entrances? How safe are we?"

"There are two stairways partially collapsed." Blake said pointing. "The only entrance is the way you came but Yang is going to take care of that."

Yang cracked her knuckles and got to work barricading the path with whatever furniture she could find.

"The floor wasn't finished when the city fell." Oobleck remarked seeing obvious signs of construction.

"Speaking of which," Ruby interrupted. "Is this our 'room' for tonight?"

It looked to Ruby like a condo overlooking the city. If it hadn't been so desolate the city would have been beautiful. The mounting silhouetted in the distance was breath taking.

"Unfortunately yes." Weiss griped as she walked in from the other room. "It doesn't even have a bathroom and do not even get me started on the decor. It's so last century."

"There's a reason for that." Blake deadpanned.

"Hmph."

"There's also a ledge we can keep watch on." Blake pointed out the window. "You can crawl out there through a hole just around the corner."

The little ledge hung just above window but had no cover from the wind or cold.

Ruby's eyes lit up as it looked perfect for a sniper's perch.

Yang dusted her hands off as she walked back in. "All done. So who takes first watch?"

"Dibs!" Ruby announced immediately. "I mean if that's okay with you Professor?"

Oobleck laughed and tossed his grey backpack into a neighboring room down the hall.

"Fine by me. I'm just your chaperon. I'll leave the high winds and cold for team RWBY. Good night."

Weiss narrowed her eyes.

"I really hate camping." She moaned. "I wish I was back at the dorm with Zwei."

Yang didn't like the idea of her sister taking first watch but found solace that she could keep an eye on her from the small campfire.

"Don't worry about unpacking." She said to her younger sister. "I'll take care of it, you go have fun on your perch.

The caped-girl pulled her hood on and grabbed a little sack full of cookies from her pack.

"This is going to be awesome!" She cried as she went around the corner to slip out to the ledge.

She crawled a ways out and set her cookies to the side while looking through Crescent Rose's scope. A gargoyle sat next to her to keep the caped-girl company.

Weiss shook her head. "I guess cookies are a part of a complete dinner too."

The blonde sighed.

"She looks like Summer." She remarked.

"Huh?" Weiss asked.

"Nothing." Yang coughed. "I'm hungry. Who's got the food Ruby and Blake bought?"

"It's in my extra pack." Weiss said.

Blake froze and looked up to meet the blonde in the eyes.

"Extra pack?" Yang asked confused.

"Yeah."

"The one Ruby made you leave at Beacon?" Blake deadpanned.

Everyone's heads slowly turned to the caped-girl.

"Let's kill her." Weiss suggested looking for her weapon.

Yang sighed. "Looks like we're eating huntsmen meals."

She pulled out three dinners in plastic packages from her pack and tossed one to each of them.

"Good thing Ruby made me pack these. I guess Zwei will be eating well the next couple of days."

"I wish I had stayed with him." Weiss cried. "I really, really hate camping."

"I'll leave one out for Ruby." Blake said.

Yang nodded and stared out the window.

"What does your scroll say about Ruby, Weiss?"

The heiress pushed a button and glanced down.

"She's in the orange. Same as us."

Yang frowned and pulled out her own scroll.

"What's wrong?" Blake asked worried.

"Nothing." The blonde assured.

Blake glanced at Weiss but she was too busy trying to figure out what her sandwich was.

"It's just that Ruby has been leaving rose petals all over the city using her semblance to fight Grimm and yet she has barely lost any aura. Am I the only one that finds that weird?"

Everyone paused and glanced out the window.

Ruby had a chocolate chip cookie hanging from her mouth and a smile on her face while attempting to feed the gargoyle.

"She looks happy." Weiss noted.

"And exhausted." Blake pointed out.

_She looks like Summer. _

"What's going on with you Rubes?"

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. No easy way to say it but Zwei did not come on the trip with team RWBY. I thought it best to leave him at the dorm. The girls are going through some serious stuff right now and the lost city is no place for a corgi. I also made Oobleck a bit more serious. We'll find out what is happening with Ruby in due time but you may already have an idea of what's going on with her and a certain girl who gets the hiccups. Once again thank you for reading and all of the support you all have given me. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless**


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Tell-Tale Heart

* * *

Yang, Weiss, and Blake huddled by small camp fire at the top of the apartment complex. The flames were hidden from the windows as to not attract any unwanted visitors. The girls were able to see the lifeless city around them but not even the most keen eyed of Grimm would see them. Blake had made sure of it.

Outside the window and sitting on a tiny ledge Ruby kept watch to make sure everything stayed quiet. Her hood was pulled tight and Crescent Rose held firmly in her arms. Occasionally she'd activate her semblance to stay warm and petals would scatter in the cold breeze.

Having the ability to move at a hundred miles an hour had its advantages to staying warm.

Inside the unfinished living room the team lay in their sleeping bags listening to the crackling of the fire. Oobleck's words weighed heavily on all of their minds as did the day of hunting Grimm and the prospect of doing it all over again in just precious hours.

"Hey Weiss," The blonde whispered. "You awake?"

"Of course I am." The heiress snapped rolling over.

The blonde flinched at the sudden outburst.

"Sorry," Weiss apologized. "It's just been a long day."

Yang nodded. "What about you Blake?"

The faunus sat up.

"I'm awake."

"What do you guys think Oobleck asked us all those questions?" Yang asked clearly upset.

Both girls stared off into space unwilling to answer.

"I-I have a confession to make," Weiss choked staring at the fire. "I lied to Oobleck back there."

The heiress looked exhausted not just physically but also mentally. This mission was taking its toll on her.

"It's okay Weiss," Yang reassured. "I'm sure you had your reasons."

Yang glanced over to her partner who looked away. The blonde had been the only truthful one, but that didn't mean she was proud of her answer.

"No, this is something I want to get off of my chest." The heiress took a deep breath.

"I'm not at Beacon just because of my family's legacy. Ever since my father took over my grandfather's company our business hasn't been the same. For lack of a better word it's operated under a moral gray area."

The heiress worded herself carefully and tried to sound optimistic.

"That's putting it lightly." Blake muttered.

Weiss sat up giving the faunus a cold stare that was equally matched.

"Which is why I've been trying to set things right."

Blake lowered her eyes back down to the flame.

"Taking a desk job in Atlas wouldn't have accomplished anything. I'd just be following my father around watching the company disappear. As a huntress though I can actually do some good. My father wasn't the start of the Schnee name and I refuse to let him be the last."

Her hand drifted to Myrtenaster at her side and she brushed the familiar cold steel.

"When I told father I intended to become a huntress he was elated. He had one less heiress to deal with."

She let the words hang in the air and suddenly the room felt much colder. Yang and Blake glanced at each other unsure if it was Weiss' semblance doing or just her haunting voice.

"I'm not the only heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. I have a sister. Her name's Winter."

This came to no surprise to Yang and Blake as it was common knowledge the Schnee's had two daughters. They were practically celebrates after all.

Or royalty still in some circles...

"My sister enjoys playing heiress. She's funny, cleaver, smart, beautiful, and most of all wants to run the company how father does."

"She's the perfect heiress and I'm the…" She swallowed as if to get the bitter taste out of her mouth. "And I'm the Ice Queen."

Weiss' head hung as she was resigned to the title. Her hand naturally drifted up to her scar.

The blonde frowned.

"You know we only call you that to tease you right?" Yang urged. "You're a great person Weiss and you aren't half as bad as you make yourself out to be."

Weiss was reminded of how Yang often spoke to Ruby and not for the first time she wished the blonde was her sister.

"Thanks Yang, but even if you're right that doesn't change a thing. I'm not going to let my father push me aside from _my_ birthright. I'm going to become the perfect huntress then I'm going to save my company from the rest of my family and the White Fang."

Her hand drifted away from her scar and back to her rapier. She gave the cylinder a slow spin.

The room fell silent after Weiss' bold declaration. Neither girl doubted the heiress or her goals.

They watched the fire dance some more and as Weiss' shadow seemed to grow in authority Blake's began to shrink.

"I wish I had your determination Weiss." She mumbled

Both Yang and Weiss were startled by Blake's words.

"I have been running my entire life." The faunus' words sounded hollow.

"Everything I did with the White Fang I did thinking I was doing the right thing for all of the right reasons. My partner Adam always told me we were doing things for the greater good."

Her shadow faded away.

"All I wanted was to make the world a better place for faunus. Even if it meant making humans fear us then so be it. It felt good to be feared, it meant we were being respected."

"One day that all changed. Someone showed me that the Grimm masks we wore weren't just for show. We really were monsters. So I ran."

"I left my partner standing there staring back at me and ran all the way to some village in Vale where Ozpin found me. He offered me a home, a career as a huntress, and the chance to pay for my sins. I took him up on his first two offers."

"I was still running." Blake admitted. "Just like how I'm still running. All my life I've tried to build a bridge between humans and faunus but for the first time I don't know how I'm supposed to do that. All I can think about doing is stopping Torchwick and the White Fang from ruining my kind's reputation...again."

"You'll figure something out." Yang said. "You're not one to back down from a fight."

"But I am!" Blake cried. "The night I let slip I'd been in the White Fang I got scared and ran. When I realized Adam was a monster I ran. When Ozpin offered me a chance at redemption I ran. Just last week I hid in the library to avoid you guys after the paladin fight. I always run from my problems."

"Even my own semblance proves I'm a coward." She whimpered. "I leave my shadow in my place to take the hit for me."

Blake activate her semblance and her shadow returned and took shape. Suddenly there were two of Blake's both equally as tired and frustrated. The real one picked up a stone and struck the false on in the chest making it disappear.

"You didn't always run." Yang pointed out. "Before initiation I asked you why you hid your ears under that bow and you didn't run."

The heiress blinked back an forth between the partners.

"I knew it!" Weiss exclaimed. "When Blake took off you were just sitting calmly in that chair like you knew the entire time and just waited for her to come back. How did you know she was a faunus?"

The blonde snorted. "Because I'm not as clueless as Ruby and no offense Weiss but I'm not as self centered as you used to be. I didn't even know it was a secret."

Weiss looked like she was going argue but held her tongue. Yang wasn't wrong.

"And I knew you'd come back Blake. You're braver than you think. Like I said you didn't run when it was just the two of us."

"I recall a blonde brute blocking the bathroom door refusing to let me out unless I talked. You didn't give me the chance to run."

"Please," Yang scoffed. "I've seen your moves Blake, you could have knocked me out of your way if you wanted."

At that comment both Weiss and Blake turned to each other and laughed at the absurdity of what the blonde had just said.

"What's so funny?"

"Yang," Blake shook her head. "I'm not sure if you've noticed but you got punched in the face by a paladin and shrugged it off. If Weiss or I got hit like that we'd probably be either dead or in a hospital."

"Besides that," Weiss interjected. "You're the only one of us to actually graduate from an academy. Ruby skipped two years, I had tutors, and Blake learned from the White Fang."

"Face it Yang," Her partner said. "You're the strongest member of the team and best trained."

"You're our ace in the Vytal Festival and most people think it will come down to you or Pyrrha in the freshmen singles competition."

The blonde stared back as if this had never occurred to her. The Vytal Festival was so far away in the back of her mind but she knew someone who was probably thinking about it right now.

"What about Ruby?" She asked.

All three girls turned their heads to the hooded figure on the ledge. She had Crescent Rose in it's rifle form and was watching something in the distance. Occasionally she'd cup her hands and breath on them for warmth.

"I think deep down she knows it too." The faunus said.

Both Weiss and Blake had sparred with the caped-girl multiple times and lost. Blake had never felt so slow in her life when Ruby had activated her semblance. All she could do was defend and look for an opening that never came as she was overpowered by Ruby's speed and skill.

Weiss tended to fare better but even she was no match for Ruby when she was injured. Yang was the only one who could take her sister down while still holding back.

The blonde took a deep breath then let out a heavy sigh.

"At least all of you have something that drives you. I didn't join Beacon because I wanted to make a difference in the world or save lives. I'm just going with the flow doing whatever feels rights."

She tossed a stick on the fire and watched it burn. She snapped her fingers and a similar flame traveled down her mane to her hand before going out.

"I'm not like Ruby. All she has ever dreamed about is being a huntress like her mom. The reason why Oobleck didn't need to ask Ruby why she wants to be a huntress is because it's obvious to everyone that she is a huntress. It's so obvious Ozpin moved her up two years and made her team leader."

"She's still just a kid." Weiss argued.

"So are we." Blake pointed out. "We're only two years older."

"But two years is a long time." The heiress muttered. She certainly wasn't the same person she had been.

None of them were.

Who would Ruby be in two years? She was already leader of Beacon's most powerful freshman team and ranked in the top five of singles competitors. What would she be like when she was Pyrrha or Yang's age?

By then she'd be half way to becoming a full huntress.

"I don't think we get to call ourselves kids anymore." Yang drew a cross in the dusty floor. "Look around us, we're in the lost city surrounded by monsters hunting the most wanted man in Vale along with the White Fang. My baby sister is out there keeping watch with one of the most dangerous weapons on Remnant in the cold. Face it we're not kids anymore."

_Some of us never were..._

Weiss looked out the window thoughtfully. The girl who had chocolate smeared on her face earlier was now shivering in the cold while they were warm in their sleeping bags next to the fire. A memory from Ozpin's speech came back to her.

_Not a single person in Vale knows what we're doing or our names. They don't know what we're going through and they probably don't care..._

Weiss sighed.

"I think we all had a romanticized vision of what being a huntress would be like, but at the end of the day it's just a job. A nasty, dirty, disgusting, and nail breaking job," She held up her broken nails. "But a job none the less."

"And what we want should come second." Yang finished.

Once again the room grew silent as they realized someone was missing from the conversation. The girls turned their heads to the caped-girl and her gargoyle friend on the narrow ledge.

"Someone should go talk to her." Blake remarked.

Yang and Weiss caught each other's eye and the blonde shook her head.

"You go talk to her Weiss."

"Me? Why me?" She said taken aback. "You're her sister."

"And you're her partner. Something has been bugging her since we got here. That isn't the same girl who sang _Ninety-nine Boxes of Cookies on the Shelf _earlier in the bullhead. Go find out what's bothering her."

"What makes you think she'll tell me? She doesn't tell me a lot of things these days."

The heiress thought back to the injuries she knew Ruby was hiding and all the mysteries behind her.

"I understand Weiss, I really do." Yang sympathized. "Ruby used to never have secrets. She always kept me right by her side even when she kept everyone else a good Crescent Rose length away. You're her partner Weiss and best friend. She'll talk to you. Trust me."

The heiress sighed before crawling out of her warm sleeping bag. She grabbed her weapon and her white jacket but only put it over her shoulder.

"I'm only doing this because she looks cold and could use the company."

Yang chuckled shaking her head. "Sure thing Ice Queen."

Weiss walked into the cold, harsh winds to join her partner.

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. I obviously changed some things here and there but I hope you don't mind. I did a slight retcon with Yang and Blake but this is something I think is believable. Yang didn't seem the least bit surprised to find out Blake was a faunus or had been with the White Fang and seemed pretty content with letting things play out. It's possible this is canon but believable enough. Also I continued with Blake's redemption being one of her main goals as I think it fits her character so I hope you don't mind. I also added in Winter to the conversation since I really wanted a second reference to her and because Blake and Yang would likely already know about her, so no questions asked and she still remains somewhat of a mystery. I'd doubt Ruby would have any idea who she is though. Once again thank you for reading and all of the support. You are all fantastic. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless)**


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Mirror, Mirror Tell Me Who is Red Like Roses?

* * *

The caped-girl sat silhouetted against the shattered moon hanging behind her as a Beowolf crept into the cross hairs of her sniper rifle. She had a steady finger on the trigger as its life hung in the balance. Underneath her hood Ruby's face was calm and as cold as the air she was breathing.

Ruby wanted to pull the trigger.

Paranoia played in her mind of what if the Beowolf was tracking her team or discovered their location? What if the creature brought its pack with it?

They were all just excuses for her wanting to pull the trigger. She brought the cross hairs to the beast's chest and steadied her breath.

"I thought you could use some company," Weiss said as she poked her head up to the caped-girl's perch. "And I figured you could use a jacket."

She held up her white jacket and noticed Ruby's finger on the trigger.

"I wouldn't advise making that shot unless you happen to have a silencer." She said cautiously.

Ruby sighed letting out the breath she'd been holding.

_Bang._ She thought before removing the cross hairs from the Beowolf's chest.

"That was the one thing I couldn't fit onto Crescent Rose." Ruby scooted over and made a place for her partner to sit.

Weiss threw her jacket over the shoulders of her partner who nodded in thanks.

"It added too much bulk and took the fun out of shooting. I love hearing my baby yell."

She cradled her rifle as if it were her child.

"Yes I can see how a silencer of all things would have made her _too_ bulky." The heiress said sarcastically. "She is a rather _petite_ girl after all."

They both chuckled at the absurdity of Crescent Rose being petite.

"Okay I may have gone a little overboard in designing her." She admitted. "But you have to admit she has style."

"And a complete lack of subtlety." Weiss pointed out.

Ruby shrugged. "I guess there's nothing subtle about a six foot scythe is there?"

Her partner shook her head. While Ruby and Crescent Rose did indeed have their own style they were also one of the most dangerous pairings at Beacon. There was nothing subtle about the overgrown gardening tool and hyperactive girl in the middle of a fight. They were both in your face and one step ahead of you.

Sometimes they terrified the heiress. She'd been on the wrong side of Crescent Rose more times than she could count.

"How did you build her?" She asked to get the conversation going.

Ruby had told Weiss everything there was to know about her baby in the past but the heiress had a habit of tuning her partner out when it came to weapons. Ruby could talk about them for hours at a pace that put her running speed to shame.

Early in the first semester the caped-girl had been bugging Weiss about Crescent Rose so she told Ruby she'd read the instruction manual to the scythe thinking that would make Ruby back off. Unfortunately the caped-girl had simply handed her a large spiral notebook with _Best Weapon Ever: Crescent Rose _written on the cover. Inside was a detailed explanation to all of the parts and functions of the weapon along with visual aids all written in red crayon that hurt the heiress' eyes and gave her a headache.

The caped-girl looked lovingly into her sniper rifle and smiled.

"I built her in Signal's machine shop and modeled her after my uncle's High Caliber Sniper Scythe back at Signal. His doesn't have all the cool toys though." She said proudly.

"So what you're saying is that your uncle's doesn't have a flashlight, shotgun, laser pointer, thermal scope, med-kit, and bottle opener attachments?"

Ruby drummed her fingers on the rocky ledge beside the gargoyle.

"Have I mentioned I may have gone a little overboard?" She said unashamed.

"You have but do continue."

"She was originally going to be an assault rifle with a scythe extension but I was dead set on my baby being a sniper scythe like my uncle's."

"How old were you when you built her?"

"Twelve."

The heiress was speechless. Ruby had built one of the deadliest weapons she had ever seen before Myrtenaster had even been completed.

"I was complete garbage before my uncle though." She continued. "Uncle Qrow tutored me outside of school. He helped me out a lot back then..."

Ruby was still smiling but Weiss could sense the caped-girl's mood had dropped.

"He was on the same team as your parents right?"

Weiss cringed as she asked the question afraid of how her partner might react but Ruby only nodded.

"It's why you've been pushing us so hard isn't it? It's why you want to win the Vytal Festival so bad."

Ruby nodded again but was silent. Whatever the caped-girl was thinking she was keeping it to herself.

Weiss bit her lip. She didn't want her partner to shut down now. She wanted to know what was going on with Ruby. She took a deep breath and put a hand on her weapon.

"This is Myrtenaster," The heiress said drawing her rapier. "And she was built by the greatest smiths in Atlas."

Weiss leveled the blade on her hand showing it was perfectly balanced.

"When I was a little girl my grandfather saw I had a talent for fencing so he hired professional tutors to teach and train me for competitions. I won the Atlas Junior Fencing Championship when I was only fifteen."

"What?!" Ruby exclaimed having never heard this before.

Weiss nodded but seemed uninterested in her accomplishment.

"My grandfather commissioned this for me before he died. He wanted the finest weapon for his _favorite_ granddaughter." She smiled fondly at the memory but frowned when she saw her reflection in the blade.

Her hand drifted to her scar and Ruby took notice.

"Did you get it from a duel?" She asked quietly. Her partner never spoke about her scar and avoided all conversations about it.

Weiss' eyes narrowed and a frown appeared on her face.

"A faunus did it." She whispered. "They wore a Grimm mask..."

Ruby's heart skipped a beat as she realized who she was talking about. The White Fang had done more than just scar her emotionally.

Weiss shook her head and lowered her hand realizing what she had just said.

"Anyway," She coughed. "Myrtenaster is a Multi Action Dust Rapier capable of carrying six dust crystals at a time. She is made of the lightest and most durable metal on Remnant and my grandfather spared no expense in creating _my _baby."

The caped-girl ran a hand on the blade and could instantly feel goosebumps from the years of Weiss' cold aura at work. Even when the rapier was set aflame Ruby swore it still gave her chills.

"She suits you." She said at last.

"You think so?" Weiss smirked.

"Sure, she has style and there's nothing subtle about her."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!"

"You've fought me with a flaming rapier Weiss. Make all the jokes you want about Crescent Rose but she does not have a flamethrower."

"Only because I made you put it back in the armory!"

"Yeah about that…"

"You put it back in your locker didn't you?" She shook her head but honestly wasn't surprised.

"Maybe…"

The heiress sighed before chuckling. This was going better than she expected.

"So Ruby..." She left hanging on the breeze.

"Yeah?"

"What's going on in that brain of yours? You aren't fooling us with that tough girl act. We know something is bothering you so spill."

The caped-girl was right, her partner wasn't exactly subtle. Weiss tried to keep her tone jovial but she was obviously concerned about her partner.

Ruby brought her knees in close to her chest as she clutched Crescent Rose for comfort.

"I had a lot of time to think when I was lying in that hospital bed." She said in a morose tone.

The caped-girl looked down so that her hood covered her face.

"I've always wanted to be a huntress Weiss. It's what I was born to be. When Yang would read bed time stories about the huntsmen I had dreams where I went on crazy adventures saving people from monsters. I wanted to be just like my mom, but she wanted me as far away from the huntsmen as possible."

That was news to the heiress.

"Mom didn't want me growing up to be like her." She wiped her face with her sleeve. "But she's all I've ever wanted to be."

Weiss reached out but her hand fell short. The heiress didn't know what to do.

"I was laying in that hospital bed thinking that I'd ruined everything. I'm supposed to be a huntress but I can't even take care of myself and I nearly cost everyone their first mission."

"Ruby-"

"No Weiss," The caped-girl interrupted. "Don't tell me it didn't bother you when I know it did because it killed me."

The heiress' eyes widened at how frustrated her partner sounded and how her jaw tightened. Even her aura which normally felt gentle and as sweet as a rose now had grown thorns.

"The first mission for a team is a right of passage and the first step to becoming a huntsman and huntress. You have no idea how terrified I was I'd just cost you guys that."

"I'm not like you three." She tightened the hold on Crescent Rose turning her knuckles white. "You all worked hard to get to Beacon and I skipped years of training and tests to get here. When Ozpin offered me a spot at Beacon all I needed was my dad's signature on a paper."

"I'm not the prodigy everyone thinks I am."

Ruby was silent as she waited for her partner's response. She began twirling her cross pendants out of nervous habit.

Weiss took a deep breath. "First off dolt we never held it against you for getting injured or think less of you."

The caped-girl opened her mouth to protest but Weiss wasn't finished.

"Second you are not holding us back. In case you haven't noticed you've never lost a match in Goodwitch's class and you've left half of the school flat on their backs, Blake and myself included."

"But this is different." She argued.

A thought occurred to Weiss as she realized what was bothering Ruby.

"You're worried about being sent back to Signal aren't you?"

Ruby nodded.

"That would never happen." Weiss insisted. "You're team leader for God's sake."

"Freshmen get sent back for training all the time Weiss, even leaders. Why should I be any different?"

"Because you are different."

"No I'm not and I wish people would stop saying that!" She shouted. "I'm not a prodigy!"

Her shoulders slumped she leaned back to look at the moon. Her eyes and the moon had the same twinkling shine.

Weiss scooted closer and put a hand on Crescent Rose lowering it.

"Yes you are," She promised. "And you'll win the Vytal Festival just like your mom did."

Weiss hoped that would light a fire in Ruby. Every time the tournament was mentioned Ruby was always filled with energy, but this time she just shook her head.

"Don't tell me you're giving up on the tournament." She said appalled.

"No, it's not that Weiss. It's just my mom never won the Vytal Festival."

"What? But Yang-"

"Her team won." She corrected. "Three years in a row."

"Three years?!"

Even Weiss with her limited knowledge of the tournament knew what kind of an accomplishment that was. It was extremely rare there were repeat champions let alone three time champions.

"They won their freshman year all the way up to their junior year. Their senior year they were all contenders to win the graduate's championship, all except my mom. No one thought she could win because she was a support fighter." Ruby turned and smiled. "She was kind of like you."

Weiss turned away at the mere thought of being in the same league as Ruby's mother. She was still getting used to the idea of being a supporter and obviously her mother had been a powerful huntress.

"But against all odds she made it to the finals." Ruby couldn't hide the pride on her face even with her hood and darkness. It shined as brightly as the moon.

"She beat everyone including my dad and Uncle Qrow who were the favorites."

"That's incredible."

"But she still lost in the finals." Ruby's tone dropped but she was still proud.

"I'm sorry..."

"It's fine Weiss, my mom always said she'd rather be runner up with her team than a champion by herself. She always put the team ahead of herself."

"Your mother sounds like a smart lady."

Ruby looked as though she couldn't decide if she wanted to laugh or to cry. With her head up and turned to the side Weiss was left guessing.

An awkward silence fell between them and the heiress felt a chill.

"What happened to her? I mean what happened to the team after graduation?"

Ruby was silent and Weiss was afraid she'd pushed her partner too far.

"Please Ruby," She pushed Crescent Rose to the side. "Tell me about them. Tell me about Summer."

The heiress thought the awkward silence was doomed to last forever but at last Ruby put her weapon down for the first time that day. Never turning to look at her partner Ruby continued her story.

"After graduation Dad got married to Yang's mom. They were partners together at Beacon."

Weiss could sense some unease from Ruby and remembered what Yang had said about the subject being awkward for the half sisters sometimes.

"They settled down in Patch and my Mom and Uncle Qrow joined them again as a team and carried out missions for the huntsmen."

"Yang was born a few years later and for awhile they were happy."

There was a bittersweet tone to Ruby's voice and Weiss knew it had to feel strange for your father to have loved another woman who wasn't your mother, especially when that woman was your sister's mother.

"But something happened on a mission…Yang's mom...they never found her…"

Ruby took a deep breath and tugged at the cross necklace hidden by her cloths.

"Dad was heartbroken losing her and Mom missed her best friend and at some point Mom and Dad erm, well they uh.." She stuttered. "They found each other."

It was hard for Ruby to say that out loud. It never seemed to bother Yang but her younger sister was more self-conscious about it. It didn't exactly paint her mom and dad in a pretty picture.

_She's illegitimate. _Weiss thought and immediately scolded herself for thinking such a thing. The heiress had been brought up a certain way and now she wished she could scold her whole family too.

_They were lonely and in mourning. _She reminded herself.

"Don't worry about it Weiss." Ruby giggled as she knew what her more proper partner was thinking.

"Huh? What?! Worry about what?!" She nearly shouted. Her normally pale face was now as red as Ruby's cape.

"You were thinking of the type of sword Jaune carries and Yang's nickname for Cardin."

"No!" She held up her hands. "I mean sorry, I mean I don't know what you're talking about dolt!"

Weiss didn't know if she should cover with ignorance, aggression, or apologies so she covered herself in all three to Ruby's amusement.

"Relax Weiss, I don't care. I just don't want you thinking badly of my parents. It was a really hard time for them."

"I understand." She said quickly before coughing. "Please continue."

They were going to get married after I was um-" She paused looking for the right word.

"Announced?" Weiss suggested.

"Announced," She nodded. "But they wanted Uncle Qrow's blessing who kind of disappeared after what happened to his sister. Finally though, two weeks before I was born Mom and Dad got married."

"Sounds like a fairy tale." Weiss said happily.

"Yeah I guess it kind of does."

"What happened next?" She asked pulling out a handkerchief.

"A little while after I was born Mom and Dad started fighting. They never got divorced but they thought it'd be best if they separated. She took me to the Patchwork mountains and raised me there."

"Patchwork…" The heiress mumbled as she remembered what happened to the village.

"We had this amazing little cottage with a strawberry garden. Yang would stay with us every summer and we'd play in the forests pretending we were huntresses. She used to push me in an old tire swing then we'd both take turns pushing mom."

She lowered her face. "Then one day the Grimm came and mom...she left me."

The wind gusted and the pair had to turn their heads.

"Ruby, I'm so sorry." Weiss choked.

"Mom went out of the cottage to protect the village. She told me she'd be right back...but she never made it out of the garden."

The heiress was speechless. She had never heard Ruby's voice sound so agonized.

"She told me she'd be right back!" She cried smashing her fist into the gargoyle.

Rose petals flew through the air and Ruby's cape began flowing against the wind.

Weiss scooted closer to her partner and put an arm around her.

She could feel the sting of Ruby's aura and all the bitterness and sadness it housed. It took her breath away to feel how unstable it was now.

Ruby's petals scattered more and more and even though her face was covered Weiss knew how she felt. She wished she could flare her semblance like Yang and make her partner feel warm but she'd only make her feel even worse.

They sat there in silence for what seemed like hours as Weiss absorbed the brunt of Ruby's aura. She let it hit her wave after wave as she was afraid it might attract Grimm. Finally she felt the aura die off and heard Ruby's sing-song voice.

"_Red like roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest."_

Weiss had never understood those words but they suddenly made sense, as did all the other things Ruby cried out during her nightmares.

"It's blood that's red like roses isn't it?"

Ruby didn't answer, instead she continued in the same sing-song voice.

"_And thus kindly I scatter the last rose of Summer..."_

The petals never stopped and Weiss became worried.

The caped-girl swallowed. "I don't know how I got out of that hospital bed Weiss...but I don't care."

"I'm seeing this mission through to the end."

"Even if it kills you?" Weiss choked.

Ruby didn't answer. She simply flared her semblance again and rose petals began to scatter.

The caped-girl stood up to leave.

"Wait Ruby where are you going?" Weiss grabbed her partner's arm afraid what she might do.

The caped-girl removed her hood and Weiss was surprised by what she saw. Tears were still on Ruby's cheeks but she was wearing a bright smile. Weiss could swear her silver eyes her glowing in the moonlight.

"It's cold out here Weiss," She said simply. "And it's past my bedtime."

Weiss handed her partner Crescent Rose who attached it to her belt.

She smiled and dropped down off the perch into the apartment. "Thanks for looking out for me Weiss."

"Goodnight Ruby." She said as her partner disappeared from sight.

Weiss sighed at the prospect of her partner being alone but knew Yang and Blake would keep an eye on her. They wouldn't let Ruby do anything stupid.

_She just wants to be left alone. You can relate to that..._

A chill ran down Weiss spine and she began rubbing her hands together for warmth before pausing.

"That dolt!" She exclaimed. "She took my favorite jacket!"

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. I tried to match Ruby's backstory and emotions with Red Like Roses Part 2 and I hope I succeeded. I wanted to capture the feeling of the loneliness she must be feeling but also the bitterness that the song represents. We also got some more information about Weiss and her scar but nothing definitive. There are still a lot of things to learn about their characters. I also hope it wasn't too dark or went against the show. I really like Red Like Roses Part 2 and wanted it to be a reflection of Ruby. Once again thank you for reading and all of the support each of you have given me. You are all fantastic. Things will be picking up from here on so strap in. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless) **


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Surrounded by Shadows

* * *

The embers to the flame faded as morning came. Each member of the team had taken a turn as lookout in the cold and Yang was finishing her lonely shift. Luckily it had been an uneventful night with no cause for alarm. It seemed for now their presence had gone largely unnoticed by the city of Grimm.

Unfortunately they also hadn't seen a single light or any sign of people. If the White Fang were in the city they were hiding well.

"Wake up Ice Queen!" Yang yelled a little too loud for so early in the morning.

"Five more minutes." Weiss mumbled reflexively as she hugged a corgi shaped pillow she'd _borrowed _from her partner.

"That's what you said ten minutes ago."

"Ummm, what time is it?" She moaned.

"Time to get up." Yang answered wafting the smell of coffee in front of the heiress.

Weiss' nose twitched at the aroma of the elixir of life. She sat up and gladly took the cup Yang was holding and brought it to her lips.

"This tastes terrible." She concluded before taking another sip.

"Think of it as expanding your palate." Blake grumbled as she stared into the dark liquid.

"Tastes better with five sugars." Ruby explained in a hoarse voice.

The team was groggy after a day of slaying monsters and a night of sleep on the hard floor. No one had slept well with the presence of Grimm around. Every time they heard a Beowolf howl they couldn't help but reach for their weapons.

Even Blake who had spent countless nights sleeping under the stars and hiding from Grimm had bags under her eyes. She had volunteered for the longest shift watching the city due to her night vision. If anyone would have seen even the faintest light she'd see it.

The faunus also knew she wasn't as easily sensed by the Grimm as her teammates...

Blake couldn't help but feel that Ozpin had sent them on a wild goose chase. There was no way an organization as large as the White Fang could operate in the lost city. Even with all their manpower and weapons the Grimm were too numerous. Even faunus would have trouble staying hidden.

They also didn't have a real plan besides the "Kill everything!" mantra of their leader.

Blake remembered Ruby and Weiss' conversation only hours before and her stomach felt sick. She hated feeling this way about their leader, especially now.

Weiss cringed as she stretched out her legs and heard bones pop.

"I've never been as sore as I am right now." She complained.

Blake and Ruby nodded and also began stretching. The blonde simply cracked her knuckles a couple of times and popped her neck.

"Six more days of killing Grimm and no sleep." Yang frowned. "I kind of doubt we'll find a place like this again. I'm gonna miss it."

Bones popped and creaked as their muscles began relaxing. Blake arched her back in positions that made the other girls jealous and couldn't help but wish they were a faunus.

"And it only gets harder from here." Ruby grimaced as her body folded in uncomfortable positions. "The Grimm are gonna to realize we're here eventually and wear us down."

"I hate camping." Weiss announced emphatically. "I really, really do."

The siblings snickered at the heiress' honesty but nodded. She said what they were all thinking.

"When can we use our ammo and dust?" Yang asked with a little frustration creeping in her voice.

Ruby sighed sympathizing with her sister. Both of their semblances were physical and took a toll on their bodies, but Yang's was also tied to her emotions. Walking around with red eyes and in a foul mood could wear itself thin after awhile.

"When we get overwhelmed." She said decisively. "I know yesterday was hard on all of us and we wouldn't normally be this tired but I think in the long run this will be best."

The team nodded reluctantly. They didn't like it but they knew their leader was right. They still had the element of surprise and all of their ammunition left. The longer they could hold out the easier it'd be when the real war started.

Weiss glanced down at her wrist scroll with her team's aura levels showing. After a night of rest everyone was normal except one particular caped-girl.

_Why does her aura keep fluctuating?!_

Weiss remembered what the caped-girl had said the night before about fulfilling the mission at any cost. It was her duty to make sure Ruby _didn't _make good on that promise.

"You need to take it easy on your semblance today." She said addressing her partner. "You're aura needs to recharge and you're not doing your body any favors."

Ruby blew the hair out of her eyes. "I'll be fine."

"No sis, she's right." Yang gave her younger sister a concerned look. "You just got out of the hospital two days ago and the mission just started. You can't keep your semblance up like this."

"I'll be fine." Ruby said again.

"Please," Her sister pleaded with puppy eyes. "For me?"

"For Zwei?" The heiress held up the pillow.

"For all of us." Blake deadpanned.

Ruby threw her arms up. "Fine you guys win. I'll go easy on the petals today. Once we can use ammo and dust I'll be using Crescent Rose's recoil anyway."

The team relaxed at Ruby's promise and their victory over the leader. No one said it but they were secretly worried that the caped-girl was finally reaching her limit. Seven days was a long time in a city full of Grimm while dealing with injuries. They all had two years over the caped-girl and in Yang's case nearly three. There was just so much working against her.

Blake was wondering if it'd be best for Ruby to stay back and support Weiss. It wasn't ideal for either of them but Ruby needed her rest. She was about to suggest as much when her partner interrupted.

"So what's the plan for today?" Yang said trying to sound optimistic but sounding forced.

Ruby's stomach grumbled in response making her blush.

"Breakfast it is." Yang chuckled.

The blonde picked through her large pack and handed each girl a gray package with "Huntsmen Ration" written on them and the Schnee Dust Company logo on the side.

Blake naturally turned her nose up at it but took it nonetheless.

"I can't believe you left the food you guys bought, Ruby." The heiress said disgusted ripping the package open.

The caped-girl flinched but knew her partner didn't mean any hard feelings. Weiss was not a morning person.

Yang and Blake shrugged and didn't seem to mind too much. Feeding four people for seven days wasn't easy and rations were light and also designed to help restore aura and fuel their bodies. Even the drinks they had were specially designed for huntsmen on missions.

"Are we sure Weiss can eat this stuff?" Ruby asked. She couldn't imagine her partner eating anything that didn't have a calorie label or cooked by a professional chef.

"I'll have you know the grilled chicken I ate last night wasn't terrible." The heiress huffed.

Yang laughed. "So that time you nearly threw up was just an act?"

The heiress narrowed her eyes but never directly faced the blonde. She always kept the left side of her face to the shadows.

Ruby pulled a bag of chocolate chip cookies out of her pack to eat with her turkey sandwich. As Weiss had learned chocolate chip cookies were a part of a balanced breakfast and turned away so as not to see her partner use her sleeve as a napkin again.

Blake picked at her tuna sandwich not feeling hungry while Yang gorged herself on a cheeseburger. They may not have been as tasty as what Ruby and Blake had bought in the city but being tired and hungry they didn't care.

"If Weiss' can survive her own cooking then she can survive this." Yang said with cheese stuck between her teeth.

"Hey!" The heiress cried offended. "My grilled cheese sandwiches were not that bad."

"So that's what those were." Ruby said happy that the mystery had finally been solved. It had been bugging her for weeks.

"The second batch were better."

"Thank you Ruby."

"-When you figured out the smoke alarm isn't a timer." Yang finished.

"Hmph, I still think that I performed admirably considering it was my first time cooking."

"At least you didn't burn the cookies." Ruby said suddenly serious.

Weiss nodded clearly pleased with herself.

Yang shook her head. "That's because Ruby waited by the oven the entire time and pulled them out ten minutes early."

"They were so good." Ruby gushed.

"You're welcome."

"Weiss, I've seen my sister eat cookies off of the floor before. Don't take this the wrong way but there is nothing you could possibly do to stop her from eating them."

"Twenty second rule was still in effect." Ruby argued.

Blake raised a brow. "I think you mean five second rule."

Ruby shrugged either too stubborn to listen or simply didn't care. Sometimes with the caped-girl it was hard to tell.

"What about you?" Weiss pointed an accusatory finger at the blonde.

"Hey I am not a bad cook." She protested. "I've been cooking for Ruby, Dad, Zwei, and myself for years and we only got food poisoning twice."

She grinned ear to ear like she had just won an award and Ruby seemed to acknowledge her sister's accomplishment. Blake and Weiss however had sworn to never eat anything the blonde cooked in the student kitchen again.

To say the blonde was a bad cook would have been boasting to the point of hyperbole. It was a wonder she hadn't killed them all.

Ruby smiled as she finished the last of her cookies. It had been hard but she'd rationed her supply down to ten cookies a day. Sacrifices had to be made in the middle of battle. She was already looking forward to the cookie banquet she'd planned when they finished the mission.

Yang let out a massive burp causing her sister to giggle and clap while Weiss scooted away. Blake barely took notice.

"So what's the plan for today?" Blake asked, her voice raw.

All eyes turned to Ruby who wiped the chocolate off of her face and Weiss scooted closer to Blake.

The sisters were savages.

Blake's eyes darted away from the heiress. The faunus was the only one who could see her face perfectly in the shadows and the scar made her stomach tighten.

"Well," Ruby opened her scroll to a map of the city. "We've only cleared the area from were we landed to this apartment complex here."

She pointed at their current location and where they'd started causing them all to feel embarrassed. For all of the pain and soreness they were feeling after just one day they had barely covered any ground.

Searching an entire city sounded near impossible. All their hopes drooped as did Blake's cat ears.

"I think we should keep moving in a straight line to this school over here."

She drew a line to a large group of buildings and a court yard.

"It's not far and on the map and we'll be able to use the alleys to take out the Grimm silently."

"And maybe the White Fang will want to play." Yang shrugged. "The school looks pretty big."

Blake's breath caught at mention of the White Fang. She'd been wondering if she was the only one who remembered why they were on the mission in the first place.

The caped-girl waited for opposition or at least a question but everyone nodded which comforted her.

"Sounds good to me." Yang cracked her knuckles again. "If nothing else we can at least kill a bunch of Grimm on the way."

"Can we rest a little longer?" Weiss moaned. "My feet still hurt."

"Maybe you should change shoes princess."

"And maybe you should keep your ridiculous ideas to yourself." She snapped.

Ruby chuckled as her sister and partner began to trade insults with each other. It was all in good fun and she found it comical how many ways they could reword "blonde bimbo" and "frigid freak". The caped-girl's vocabulary had expanded so much since the two met.

Blake however was less amused. Talk of finding the White Fang ruined what little appetite she'd had and she threw the tuna fish away. She grabbed her bow and tied it carefully as not to harm her sensitive ears.

She threw the yellow and black packs over her shoulders and grabbed Gambol Shroud. Her shadow took up most of the room.

"I'll be outside." She announced before storming off.

The team stopped to watch her go.

"What was that about?" Weiss asked when she was around the corner.

Yang hurried and finished stuffing her mouth and gathered her gear.

"Not sure but I'll follow her."

The blonde jogged down the hall leaving Ruby and Weiss to themselves.

Ruby sighed. "I guess we should get moving too."

"Hold on," Weiss said. "Let me do my make-up first."

Ruby furrowed her brow.

"You're kidding right?"

Weiss shook her head.

"You realize we live in the same dorm room right? We've seen you without your make-up before."

The heiress was silent.

Ruby noticed the way her partner tilted her face so that her scar was always facing towards the shadows. The caped-girl stood up to look but Weiss turned her head.

"Let me see it." She ordered.

Weiss hesitated and bit her lip before turning to face her fear.

"I'm hideous I know."

It was rare that Ruby ever saw her partner without makeup over her scar. Weiss normally ran to the bathroom first thing in the morning and occasionally wore a special brand to sleep. Now though the scar was more pronounced than ever and it was clear how deep it had been.

"It isn't as bad as you make it out to be." Ruby said kindly and grabbed her partner's shoulder. "It's a part of who you are."

The heiress turned to her white bag and pulled out a mirror and small kit.

"And who I am can be covered up with enough makeup." She affirmed.

The caped-girl was speechless.

"I'll be ready in a minute." Weiss promised.

Ruby hesitated but she knew there was no arguing with the heiress. After the talk they'd had lat night Ruby decided to let it go. Her partner deserved that much.

"Okay. I understand."

* * *

Once Weiss was ready she and Ruby met up with their teammates down below having a conversation. Once they saw the pair exit the building Blake turned away and Yang waved. Weiss could tell something was up but Ruby didn't seem to notice.

"Hey guys." She greeted. "Ready like we planned?"

Before anyone could get a word out Professor Oobleck appeared seemingly out of no where.

"Yes, good!" He exclaimed. "A plan, wonderful! Tell us what your ingenious plan entails Ruby Rose!"

The team couldn't help but stiffen at how loud their chaperon was being. It was a wonder the entire city of Grimm hadn't attacked them yet.

"Um, well." Ruby rubbed the back of her neck feeling shy. "There's a school a couple miles east of here and I thought it would be a great place to search."

The professor adjusted his glasses and regarded the young girl carefully. Ruby smiled nervously and wondered if she had said something wrong. Her team however did their best to look united and strong.

"Brilliant!" He cried. "I could not have come up with a better plan! I shall wait for you there!"

Oobleck took a sip from his thermos and in the blink of an eye he took off running.

"He's insane." Weiss commented.

"And he's running the wrong way." Blake pointed out.

Ruby sighed in relief that she hadn't been reprimanded.

"Good job sis." Yang patted her on the back.

"Thanks." She breathed.

Blake shoved past the team going the opposite direction of Oobleck.

"Don't mind her." The blonde covered. "You know how she gets without her books."

Weiss shook her head seriously doubting that was it. If Ozpin was right then the White Fang may very well be hiding out in the old school. Even she was nervous.

"I guess we should follow her." Ruby drew her weapon and Weiss did similar. "We're going to need the element of surprise so take out as few Grimm as possible."

Her team nodded reluctantly. Moving across that much area without being seen was going to be slow and tedious. They also didn't like leaving so many Grimm alive. Sooner or later they'd be found out and that would just mean more monsters to slay.

"Are you coming or not?" Blake called back.

The trio glanced at each other.

"Faunus hearing." They concluded.

* * *

"Ladybug." The caped-girl ordered into her scroll.

From opposite sides of the street both Ruby and Blake dashed out of the shadows and struck the small, unsuspecting Beowolf pack. Ruby's scythe cut several Grimm to pieces with a single swing. Blake with her katana and cleaver sliced and diced having having little resistance against the young Beowolves.

The young pack were already spilling roses into the sky and dissipating before they had time to counterattack.

"Break." Ruby ordered.

Both girls returned to their respective sides of the street into the dark alleys.

"No fair," Yang whined standing beside her partner. "You and Ruby are getting all the kills."

Before Blake could argue Weiss jumped in on the team chat.

"That's because they're our fastest fighters Yang." The heiress chided. "You're slow as dirt and without my glyphs I'm not much faster."

Blake slapped away the blonde's hand from muting Weiss.

"We have one more pack to go," Ruby said out of breath looking through her scope at the top of a fire escape. "I'm seeing about three dozen Beowolves by the courtyard so we'll take them out together."

"Yes!" Yang fist pumped.

"Tell me when you're in position and be careful. Have your dust and ammo ready just in case."

"Roger." They replied.

Blake and Yang crept through the dark and damp alleys while Ruby and Weiss crawled over rooftops to get a closer look at their prey. Ruby had scouted the Beowolf pack with her sniper rifle and they stood between them and the school. If the White Fang were in the area they were keeping a low profile.

Finally Ruby and Weiss were in position to attack.

"Okay, Ice Flower is in position."

"What took you so long?" Yang laughed.

"Bumblebee is in position." Blake replied ignoring her partner.

"Alright team," Ruby prepared her semblance. "In five, four, three, two-"

A Beowolf howled and every red eye turned to where the caped-girl and heiress were hiding.

"Uh-oh..." Ruby said wide eyed.

From seemingly no where more Beowolves appeared out of the shadows and from the school. Many stood well over seven feet and covered in white armor. They filled the entire courtyard and now Ruby and Weiss had their undivided attention.

Ruby froze. She hadn't seen this many Beowolves since Patchwork.

The legion of Grimm howled before charging.

"Snap out of it sis!" Yang cried sensing her sister's fear.

The blonde turned to her partner who nodded.

"Bumblebee!" They threw themselves at the closest Grimm to get their attention.

Yang smirked as she discharged Ember Celica into the jaw of Beowolf but her mouth fell open when the creature barely budged.

"Uh, Blake," She gulped. "I think they see us."

Blake blind fired into the crowd but her weapon was too weak to cause damage as the older Grimm simply shrugged the bullets off. She switched to her katana and clever covering her partner's exposed back.

Yang flared her semblance and this time Ember Celica destroyed the Grimm's white mask.

"Duck!" The faunus cried.

The blonde did as she was told just as Blake swung Gambol Shroud over their heads by the ribbon. The faunus created a perimeter as her partner threw two red ammo clips into her gauntlets. She was going to need something that packed more of a punch, pun intended of course.

The Grimm backed off deciding to surround their meal. Yang and Blake stood back to back with their weapons ready. Sweat rolled off the faunus' brow as she saw the Beowolf Yang had just punched in the face stand back up. These weren't juveniles. They had probably been a part of the fall of the lost city decades ago. They knew how to deal with huntresses...

"Looks like we're going to be winning that bet after all." Yang eyes flashed red as she grinned seeing the bright side.

"If we live that long." Blake muttered.

Above their heads on the other side of the courtyard Ruby was still frozen while Weiss was panicking.

"Ruby you have to snap out of it!" She hissed. "Yang and Blake need you! I need you!"

Nothing.

Weiss saw no alternative. Her partner was helpless right now. Crescent Rose dangled from the caped-girl's hand threatening to fall.

_It's your blood that's red like roses…_

"OOWWW!" The caped-girl cried as it felt as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over her.

"Wake up sleepy head." Weiss removed the ice glyph from around Ruby and chambered Myrternaster. "We've got trouble."

"Yang!" Ruby gasped as a Beowolf lunged for her sister's throat only to be blasted in the face with a shotgun shell.

It got back up.

"They can't keep that up forever Ruby. They need our help."

_Hide under the bed baby._ _Take this with you._ _I'll be back, I promise..._

Ruby pulled the hood over her face and took a deep breath. There was calmness to her actions that unsettled her partner. She could feel Ruby's aura radiate off of her.

Ruby chambered Crescent Rose.

"Let's go."

The caped-girl and heiress hurled themselves into the fray with little regard for themselves. As the scythe tore through the Beowolves the heiress stuck to Ruby's back burning through the beasts with her flaming rapier.

Crescent Rose switched to harvest mode so that it's blade extended and Weiss instinctively ducked but continued behind her partner. Even with the white armor the scythe was simply too strong and it's wielder too skilled.

Weiss activated gravity glyphs occasionally to slow the Beowolves down and together they worked their way to their partners who were struggling.

The Beowolves were all over Yang due to her not having any reach with her weapon. She had to get up close and personal with every foe she fell and that usually meant getting a face full of teeth and claws.

The blonde's eyes were crimson as she cursed every single Grimm that got too close. Blake did her best to cover her partner's back but she was not meant for stationary combat. She was the scout of the team meant for distractions and good for a few hits before retreating. Surrounded and unable to move was a death sentence for her and Yang, but luckily her teammates knew that.

"Everyone duck!" Ruby cried at the top of her lungs.

Fire glyphs appeared shooting flames above their heads. The torrents of flame pushed the Beowolves back as Ruby and Weiss ran to Yang and Blake's sides. The heiress plunged her rapier into the ground causing a red ring to form around them and the flames shot up even higher.

"What took you so long." Blake gasped with red marks on her cloths from were the Beowolves had gotten her.

"Sorry," Ruby apologized equally as out of breath.

"Welcome to hell." Yang greeted.

"Hey guys?" Weiss grimaced. "I can't keep this up forever so save the chit chat. Reload and please come up with a plan that doesn't involve us getting killed. This is my new favorite jacket I just got the chocolate stains out from Ruby's midnight snack."

Everyone nodded and began reloading their weapons while Ruby gave the orders.

"Freezer-Burn." She commanded. "Weiss cover Yang's back and stick close."

"Roger." They said together knowing their parts as they'd practiced it a million times.

Yang was nearly unstoppable in a fight but she needed someone to cover her back which fit Weiss' fighting style perfectly as a defensive support fighter.

Ruby turned her head to Blake.

"Ladybug. We've got some room to move around now Blake so make the most of it. Follow my lead."

She hesitated. "Okay."

"Ready Weiss?"

"Don't have much of a choice." The heiress cried. "Running out of dust."

The hoards of Grimm leaped through the dwindling flames roaring and snarling.

"Cover Weiss!" Ruby ordered as her partner knelt to reload her weapon's dust chambers.

The heiress emptied the cylinders and replaced them with the finest dust crystals her company provided. Even with all of her practice and efficiency reloading Myrtenaster was a slow process compared to her teammate's weapons. Normally reloading her weapon in the middle of combat was impossible, but luckily she had her friends beside her who all unloaded their weapons and aura.

Myrtenaster's dust chamber spun and ignited in red flames.

"Ready!" She relayed.

"Alright," Ruby nodded. "Ladybug! Freezer-Burn! Go!"

Yang planted her feet and roared as her semblance fired up. She discharged her gauntlets into every single Beowolf that dared come her way. While Weiss covered her back with ice cold determination the blonde fought with fiery rage.

The blonde hated Grimm for what they'd done to her family. She'd lost both her mother and Summer to the beasts. Ruby had been traumatized by losing Summer and her father had fallen into depression. She had been raised in a school dedicated to fighting monsters and had friends who lost loved ones. Thousands had died in the very place she was standing...a school for kids.

The Grimm were going to pay.

Yang let out another string of curses as she felt a claw rake her shoulder. Her semblance burned even brighter and all she could see was red.

Weiss scorched anything that tried to flank her teammate. While her weapon wasn't the most ideal choice when surrounded by Grimm, the flames helped even the score. The red dust increased the weapons strength and no monster wanted to feel its sting.

A ice glyph appeared around the pair and Yang didn't even think as she let her aura dispel it causing a mist to appear around them. Five more glyphs appeared around them varying in color and size and Weiss took a deep breath. A chilling blizzard blew freezing many Grimm where they stood and hovered around the blonde who's semblance was all too present in her burning hair. Weiss followed as Yang charged into the fray using small ice glyphs for cover and her rapier to keep the monsters at bay.

Ruby and Blake were a blur on the battlefield. The faunus would attack unsuspecting Grimm then immediately retreat attacking another and repeating. Her weapon was the weakest when it came to raw power but it was also the most versatile. She could swing her ribbon as a whip one second, attack with katana and cleaver the next, or attack with the weapons combined two handed. With no need to cover a partner she could use her shadow to dodge and absorb hits.

Rose petals filled the battlefield as the caped-girl raced from one end to the other shooting her rifle to change direction. Not every Grimm was a clean kill but Blake followed and finished the job.

It was incredible to watch the caped-girl move.

The battle raged on for what seemed like an eternity to the girls but finally there seemed to be a light at the end of the tunnel. No longer was there a sea of darkness, now there was a cloud of roses blowing through the battle field and the ground became covered in mist.

With a final battle cry Ruby swung her scythe falling several Beowolves at once. Blake paused as her target turned to rose petals before her very eyes and Weiss plunged her now flameless rapier into her final Beowolf.

The girls fell to their knees exhausted and their bodies shaking. They all gasped for air as sweat clung to their cloths and poured off their faces and blood trickled down from their injuries.

Yang looked around wildly looking for another Grimm to destroy.

They still needed to pay for what they'd done.

"It's over Yang." Blake cried wiping her eyes. "It's over."

Hearing her partner's voice snapped the blonde out of her rage and her eyes returned to normal. Like the other girls she fell to her knees overcome with exhaustion as her semblance finally burned off.

Ruby removed her hood and looked up and the sky. Her cross necklace had never felt so heavy.

"Is everyone okay?" She asked.

Her team checked their injuries and nodded. Ruby sighed with overwhelming relief. Despite their cuts and bruises they'd be alright. She wiped her moist eyes.

Yang coughed due to her mouth being dry. "So that was a th-"

"Don't even say it." Weiss threatened.

"-A thing." Ruby finished.

Weiss didn't even have the strength to call her partner a dolt.

"I need a shower." She whined looking down at her white jacket which had been ripped and was now drenched in sweat, stained in blood, and covered in dirt.

Everyone nodded in agreement. They were all covered in filth and claw marks.

"So who won the bet?" Yang also rolled over to her back and stared at the cloudy sky wishing for rain. Maybe that would wipe away her bruises.

"I don't care." Blake muttered. "The bet is stupid. Let's call it a draw."

_*clap* *clap* *clap*_

The team looked up to see Professor Oobleck carrying their packs over his shoulder as if were nothing.

"You left these in the alley and rooftop." He tossed them their packs unfazed by their current appearance.

"Thanks." Yang muttered.

"If you must know miss Xiao Long your sister was in the lead." He grinned. "I have a photographic memory and I honestly lost count."

Both Yang and Blake closed their eyes feeling deflated while Weiss cheered halfheartedly.

They all reached for their water bottles and water spilled out of their mouths as they tried to drink as fast as possible. Even Weiss had no problem letting the water run down her chin and even poured it over her head.

Ruby choked as the water went down the wrong pipe and ended up having a coughing fit.

"Easy there Rubes."

The caped-girl gave her sister a pained thumbs up when the fit ended. "I'm good."

Yang couldn't help but notice how different her sister looked. Dirt was matted in her hair and caked on her skin. Small cuts and bruises covered her body and her silver eyes were weary. She looked so much like Summer…

"I must say you four put on a fantastic show." Oobleck remarked.

"Thanks for the help." Yang said not too kindly.

The professor glanced over to her.

"I am here to observe your mission miss Xiao Long. I am not to interfere unless you are no longer capable of finishing your job or if our true objective is completed."

Yang wanted to argue but she knew he was right. This was a test after all. It was their mission, not his.

"If it makes you feel better I believe the school and playground are now clear."

For the first time the team realized how close to the school they'd been pushed. Somehow a swing set had survived the decades and swung in the wind while a rusted slide looked ready to collapse.

_They're not here. _Blake said to herself.

"Now if you'll excuse me," Oobleck turned towards the school. "I must see what classes were like decades ago in the lost city. Good-bye."

The professor sped off leaving them staring at the dust he had kicked up.

"He needs to watch his mouth." Yang said patting her hair.

"And you're one to talk." Weiss said. "I have never heard such foul language in my life."

Yang shrugged. "Give me a break princess I think I was justified, and besides I heard some _choice_ words come out of your mouth too."

Weiss looked appalled and ready to argue but Yang held up a hand.

"But I will admit I've never heard so many four letter words sound so classy."

Weiss' face turned red as Ruby and Blake smiled.

"Thanks…" She said at last blushing.

The team broke out in laughter and lay on the ground exhausted.

Ruby smiled to herself looking up at the sky. She could almost feel her mom smiling down...

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. This was a long chapter, I'm sorry (you're welcome?). I wanted to show that even the most basic Grimm can be deadly in numbers. Yang and Blake probably wouldn't have made it out alive without Ruby and Weiss. Ruby has the best weapon suited for the job but even she didn't walk away unscathed. I guess it goes without saying that this was a preview of what's to come. I also wanted to have Blake feeling some anxiety in this chapter. We'll be digging more into that soon. Also check out "The Last Jubilee" which I wrote for MonCon, you might like it. I hope you enjoyed this long chapter and I hope it wasn't too much. Thank you everyone for all of the kindness and support. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless)**


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

The Sincerest Form of Flattery

* * *

The school's courtyard was eerily quiet with the battle over. Evidence of the struggle littered the ground in the form of bullet casings, claw marks, droplets of blood, and long scars formed by Crescent Rose's blade. The tar like substance often left by Grimm could also be seen but it was quickly evaporating leaving black stains on the ground.

Blake closed her eyes as she focused aura to close her wounds. Her ears twitched occasionally and she could still hear the ringing of gunfire and roars of Grimm in her head. She had a long gash on her back but wasn't troubled. The faunus could already feel the skin mending itself.

Weiss stared off in the distance feeling utterly exhausted with shadows under her eyes. Her weapon impaled the ground beside her as a torn, white jacket stained with blood hung on it's guard. Occasionally she'd run her hand across her scar, a nervous habit of her's.

Yang was running a brush through her hair cursing whenever she came across a knot. Her semblance still hadn't completely burned off as her eyes still had a touch of red and occasionally a flame would spark in her mane.

Her wounds had long since closed of course.

Ruby lay on the ground with her arms spread out staring at the heavens above. Her wounds although fewer than her teammates hadn't even begun to heal yet. Weiss had the lowest aura limit of the team she still had a faster recharge than her partner. The caped-girl was powerful but she had little in the ways of defensive or supportive aura, unlike her older teammates.

She looked down and bit her lip as she examined her injuries. Although they'd be easily mistaken for shallow claw marks Ruby knew instantly where she'd gotten them. They burned like red dust and stung like glass.

Her body protested and her head felt light as she sat up.

"We should get out of here." Her voice cracked. "Most of the Grimm in the city would have heard that battle."

The team glanced at each other hearing the weakness in her voice and noticing her pale skin.

Weiss shook her head.

"We should stay here Ruby. Even if we leave now the Beowolves will still track us and at least here in the courtyard nothing can sneak up on us."

Ruby looked around and realized she was right. They would be able to see any Grimm coming their way and had plenty of room to fight or retreat if need be.

"Okay," The caped-girl sighed. "we'll stay here and rest awhile longer."

Everyone relaxed and took a breath of fresh air. They were all exhausted and needed the rest, the leader most of all.

"At least we drew out most of the Grimm in the area. We can call this sector clear for now."

"Until tonight when the Grimm start hunting us." Blake pointed out. "That's when they'll come in full force."

The team swallowed.

"Why not go back to the apartment tonight?" Yang inquired. "That's probably as secure as we're gonna get in this city."

Ruby grimaced not liking the sound of that. "Staying in the same place two nights in a row isn't a good idea."

"You'd be able to snipe for miles," Weiss said hoping to convince her partner. "and we'd be able to funnel the Grimm through the hallways."

"It's our best bet." Blake added.

No one dared say it but they also knew if they were overwhelmed they could retreat to the roof and call for a bullhead to extract them safely. This would mean they'd fail the mission but they'd get back home.

The caped-girl hadn't even considered this. She sighed then mentally scolded herself for not keeping an extraction plan in the back of her mind. She been so focused on the mission she hadn't even planned on worst case scenarios. What if Yang, Weiss, or Blake got hurt?

Her teammates were thinking similar about the caped-girl.

"Okay," Ruby flicked a bullet casing. "we'll stay at the apartment tonight. For now we'll stay here and rest, and kill anything that comes along. The courtyard will be our fall back position and we'll each take a side of the school to watch."

The team took another breath knowing they'd be relatively secure tonight in a familiar place.

Blake turned her head and glared at the school. It had been a waste of time coming here and now finding the White Fang would be next to impossible with a city full of alert Grimm.

Deep down a part of her wondered if Ruby had already thought of this.

The faunus got up to leave.

"Well I'm glad that's settled then." The heiress said brushing the dust off her skirt which did absolutely nothing.

She took a seat on the swing and kicked her legs up so they dangled.

Soon she was even smiling despite being covered in battle scars.

Yang and Ruby glanced at each other in bewilderment.

Even Blake paused to take in the foreign scene.

The blonde noticed her partner was leaving and frowned. She wouldn't let the faunus disappear again and she'd get to the bottom of what was bothering her. It also seemed the heiress needed someone to talk to.

"We'll check around the east side of the school." Yang said jumping up and taking her partner's arm. "Scream if you need us."

Blake groaned as the blonde dragged her away.

Ruby stood gaping as the two disappeared around the corner before turning back to her partner. Seeing Weiss having fun and enjoying herself was rare, and the caped-girl decided she liked it.

Unsure what to do she took a seat beside Weiss and kicked her legs up. The rusty chain swings creaked and moaned with every move and it amazed Ruby they'd held up so well.

"I never had a swing as a kid." The heiress said coming to an abrupt halt.

"We had one in Patchwork." Ruby smiled as she remembered. "It was just an old tire swing tied to an oak tree but it was the best. Mom and Yang used to push me while I screamed at the top of my lungs."

"I never had anyone to push me either…"

Ruby came to a halt when she realized what her partner was saying and chided herself for not paying attention.

"Sorry."

"It's alright dolt." She chuckled despite her dark mood. "I just find it sad that I had to come to the lost city to finally get my swing."

Ruby slowly nodded but didn't know what to say. Somehow the swing set seemed to match Weiss' current mood and appearance.

"Have you ever been to a real school Ruby?"

She shook her head. "Not really. We had a small school house in Patchwork but it was more like a tin shed. I always hated it. I didn't want to go to a regular school, I wanted to be a huntress."

She coughed. "But when I moved in with Yang I went straight to Signal for basics."

"I only had tutors, the finest money can buy." There was a touch of bitterness to her voice. "The school room was a windowless, bare room with nothing but a desk and a scroll board."

"Trust me, you didn't miss much." Ruby promised.

"Yeah I did." She whispered.

Ruby took a look at her partner and could see she was exhausted both physically and emotionally. Weiss was a fencer and the team's support fighter, she wasn't meant for long term combat against waves of Grimm. Out of everyone on the team she was the most battered and beaten.

"You did good today Weiss." Ruby said trying to cheer her partner up.

"Thanks." She said absently. "You too."

Ruby kicked a rock under her foot wishing she knew what to do or what to say. It seemed as if after every battle her team would always go their separate ways and as team leader she was supposed to keep them together. Yet again it seemed half her team had run off and Weiss was shutting Ruby out. It frustrated her to no end to be unable to comfort or talk to her older teammates.

They were always looking after her when it was supposed to be the other way around.

The wind blew moving them back and forth making the chains rattle.

Ruby grinned as an idea crossed her mind.

The caped-girl spun out of her seat and stood behind her partner. Weiss didn't even notice Ruby had moved before her feet were off the ground again.

"What are you doing?" She said wide eyed as her feet went higher and higher.

"What's it look like? Pushing you."

Wind blew through the heiress' hair and she closed her eyes. Her body ached and it be days until she would see her pale skin again but she didn't care. For the first time in her privileged life she was being pushed on a swing. It had taken coming to the lost city to accomplish this goal but she was here now. She was going to enjoy this for as long as possible.

She felt like a kid for the first time since she could remember.

"Higher!" She commanded.

Ruby nodded.

Both girls giggled at the absurdity of the situation.

"Higher! Higher!"

The caped-girl complied and Weiss soared higher.

At the apex of height and velocity the heiress let go of the swing, uncrossed her legs and flew out of her seat. She landed gracefully on her toes with her chin up and her hands in the air.

"Ten points!" Ruby judged.

Weiss smiled appreciatively and retrieved her weapon and put her war torn jacket back on.

She reminded Ruby of a veteran huntress.

"I have had my fill of nonsense for the evening." She declared as her usual attitude returned.

The ice queen didn't fool Ruby for a bit. She'd seen how happy her partner had been.

"What do you say we get back to work."

"I say that is a splendid idea." Ruby said copying her partner's accent.

Weiss raised a brow and put her hands on her hips.

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." She chided before winking. "Dolt."

Ruby laughed and threw her scythe over her shoulder still favoring the left. It felt much lighter than it had after the battle. Actually everything felt lighter now. Ruby could honestly say she felt good.

_That's not right._ She thought to herself.

"You take this side of the school and I'll take the north." Weiss said not knowing of Ruby's thoughts. "Blake and Yang can have the east and south."

Ruby nodded and reloaded her weapon to get focused. She dropped her backpack by the swing to retrieve more ammo.

"Don't wander off too far." Weiss said with a frown. "There could still be Grimm hiding around."

"I'll be fine." Ruby waved her off. "Y'all worry too much."

Weiss looked at her dumbstruck.

"What?" The caped-girl turned around to make sure her sister hadn't sneaked up behind her or anything.

"It's nothing." She shook her head trying not to laugh and be a hypocrite.

_Y'all. _She thought trying not to smile.

The caped-girl sighed realizing what she'd just said. "I'm tired okay?"

Weiss chuckled looking down at herself. "I know the feeling."

"Just please don't tell Yang. I'll never hear the end of it."

The heiress rested her hand on her chin and looked thoughtful for a moment.

"No promises."

She turned to leave and Ruby groaned as she kicked a rock across the courtyard.

With her partner's back turned to her Weiss glanced down at her wrist scroll and her heart beat against her chest. Ruby's aura was in the red.

She glanced back to the caped-girl who was still kicking rocks and muttering under her breath. Rose petals scattered after every kick and her cape blew _against_ the wind.

She shook her head not believing her partner could even be on her feet and her semblance active with such low aura.

_What is going on?_

* * *

Ruby paroled the western part of the school grounds but everything was quiet. The caped-girl couldn't help but feel nervous knowing that the only Grimm left in the area were more patient and cunning than their juvenile counterparts. More than likely they'd wait for nightfall but she kept vigilant nonetheless.

Although she kept this in mind Ruby could help but catching the slide out of the corner of her eye from time to time. Finally when the temptation became too much she glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching.

She rubbed her hands together and climbed to the top grinning ear to ear. It looked mundane compared to her sometimes daredevil like feats but it would do. If nothing else it reminded her of Signal.

She sat down and let go.

Unfortunately she failed to see the error of sliding down a metal slide that was over 50 years old and she practically had to scoot to the bottom while her cape kept getting snagged.

"Still counts." She muttered rubbing her backside.

The caped-girl took a deep breath and stretched out her arms. The school felt bare without kids running around. She couldn't bare walking the halls of the once great school so she stayed as far away as possible. She wasn't sure how Oobleck could stand to be in there.

How many hundreds of kids had lost their lives here? How many kids had hidden from the Grimm only to be found?

Ruby couldn't help but stare down at the cape that had once carried that great burden under a wooden bed in a village far away in the mountains.

She shook her head to get rid of the memories of Patchwork. It would do her no good to dwell on such things now. Knowing her luck it would only attract more Grimm, which didn't necessarily concern her.

That was their mission after all.

_"Help me..."_

"Huh?" Ruby looked around unsure who had said that.

All she heard was the wind rustling the trees and a few birds chirping.

"Yang, if that's you quit it." She commanded. "That isn't funny."

So help Yang if her sister was playing a joke on her, especially one in such bad taste and in her current mood.

No response.

She shook her head.

"Get it together Ruby." She ordered herself. "You can't start losing it now."

The caped-girl threw Crescent Rose over her shoulder ready to be done with the courtyard. Maybe she'd patrol a little further out away from the school. Weiss might not like it but she obviously needed to get away.

_"Help me…"_ Cried a little girl's weak voice.

Ruby's head spun. "Who said that?"

Unbelievable. A little girl in the lost city. How was that even possible?

_"Over here…"_ The voice sounded close, just outside the courtyard down a nearby alley.

"Don't worry, I'm coming." Ruby's semblance activated as she darted down the dark alley following the voice.

The little girl needed help and the caped-girl had to find her before it was too late.

She came to a stop outside near a shopping strip. A possible hang out for kids after school decades ago.

"Where?" She looked around puzzled and out of breath.

_"I'm over here. Please help me…"T_he voice said again down the road.

"I'm coming!" Ruby shouted.

Petals blew off her cape as she sped down the street away from the school and cut through several parking lots.

The school along with her teammates disappeared in the distance.

"Where are you?" She wiping her brow.

_"I'm over here…"_

Ruby spun as she realized the voice was coming from inside an old dust shop and came to a stop outside.

The windows were shattered and the entire building was pitch black. A strange smell resonated from the shop but Ruby paid it little mind.

For some reason the birds had stopped chirping.

"It's okay little girl." She crouched down smiling. "I'm here now."

She heard a piece of glass being crushed and a sharp hiss.

"_It's okay little girl." _Ruby's voice repeated back from the darkness. _"I'm here now..."_

Her eyes went wide.

"Oh no." She whispered hoping she hadn't just heard that.

The color in Ruby's face drained and her heart felt as though it was going to burst out of her chest. A chill went up her spine hearing her own voice coming from the dark and knowing _what_ it was coming from.

Every child of Remnant had heard the tales before bedtime and every student had read about them. No one had ever seen one though...

"You're a mimic." She stuttered taking a step back. "You're a Grimm that can mimic a human voice."

"_You're a mimic."_ Ruby's voice repeated back stutter intact. _"You're a Grimm..."_

_It lured me here! _ Her mind screamed. _It actually set a trap!_

Large glowing red eyes opened in the darkness nearly as large as the caped-girl and wide ivory smile appeared.

The creature let out a high pitched cackle that sent shivers down Ruby's spine and locked her legs in place.

The caped-girl put Crescent Rose between her and the darkness with shaking hands. All that energy she'd been feeling before had faded.

She was trembling at the nightmare in the darkness.

Ruby slowly reached for the trigger hoping the recoil would create enough distance to get away. Her finger pressed down on the trigger.

As her rifle fired enormous claws shot out of the darkness and grabbed the blade of Crescent Rose. They were nearly as long as her baby and could bend as if they were fingers.

She fired again but the creature didn't even flinch as the bullet hit its face.

It licked its lips with a long tongue.

The Mimic had a hold on Crescent Rose's blade as if it were a dull training sword. Even her aura seemed to have no effect. Ruby noticed how it's arms were pure white and Oobleck's lesson came back to her.

This Grimm was ancient. It was a true creature of Grimm.

Two more arms snaked out of the abyss and Ruby could see how their claws sliced through the concrete just by skimming the ground.

"No!" She yelled as the claws grabbed her around the waist and the mouth opened.

They dug into her soft skin and she cried out.

Her semblance flared and the beast screeched. Just for a second the Mimic's grip faltered around her weapon and that was all Ruby needed.

She swung Crescent Rose at the claws around her waste and the Mimic howled again. She fired straight into the creature's face sending her backwards.

She had almost taken five steps when her head whipped back.

The beast's arm had a hold of her cape and sounded as if it were laughing.

Ruby hadn't done a single thing to the creature. It was just playing a game with her.

The beast grabbed her weapon again and drummed its claws on the metal.

The caped-girl gritted her teeth in rage.

She flared her semblance again but this time the Mimic didn't even flinch.

Roses scattered everywhere and the caped-girl's silver eyes, the windows to the soul, began to glow.

She refused to lay down and die. She refused to let her team down, or her mother.

Her semblance was fully active and she seemed to disappear and reappear in clouds of red. Its grip on the scythe never faltered.

The Grimm frowned still fully covered by shadows. It was growing bored with this game and it was hungry.

It hadn't eaten in so long...

The concrete began to crack at the power the girl was emitting and the Grimm's arms finally recoiled as Crescent Rose finally got through the armor. This time the Mimic howled for real. This time Ruby could tell she had actually hurt the beast, if only a little and if only for a moment.

Sweat poured off her pale face and her knees began trembling. Her semblance faded as did the glow in her eyes.

A claw shot out of the darkness and Ruby barely had enough time to block with her blade. Her knees trembled even more before buckling.

Ruby looked down in fear. It wasn't her legs that were trembling, it was the ground.

The concrete was crumbling and the caped-girl was going with it.

As her body fell she swung Crescent Rose with all her might catching the lip of the hole.

Ruby breathed a sigh of relief hanging from her baby before looking down into the abyss below. She couldn't even see the bottom.

Her arms burned hanging there and she began positioning her body to climb back up she saw the massive claws appear over the edge.

A slender blade brushed up against her cheek leaving a thin scar and blood trickled down the side. Her body shook and her breath caught as it rested under her eye.

Slowly the Mimic's face came over the lip of the hole and the caped-girl screamed in terror.

She let go of her baby letting gravity pull her into the darkness.

The Mimic cackled watching her fall and didn't even try to catch her. It merely licked its lips and watched in anticipation.

The caped-girl fell into the abyss seeing the face of her nightmares looking back at her.

She closed her eyes but it didn't matter. In seconds she was in complete darkness.

Then nothing...

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. I hope you enjoyed the Mimic as I wanted to try something new with Grimm and thought this would be interesting. Also Ruby running off to help someone in danger not thinking of the consequences sounds about right to me. Don't worry about Ruby's aura, we'll get to that...eventually. I honestly haven't meant to tease you guys so much with it. Once again thank you for reading and all of the support you all have given me. It means a lot, it really does. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless)**


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Hello Darkness My Old Friend

* * *

Weiss sat on a low ledge cleaning Myrtenaster and giving her feet a well earned rest. She suspected them being sore had something to do with wearing heels into combat but frowned at the idea as it sounded too much like Yang.

Her white heels were adorable despite their current condition and if blisters on her feet and ridicule were the punishment for looking fabulous then it was a sacrifice she was willing to make. If nothing else she didn't want to give Yang the satisfaction of seeing her take them off.

Her pinky toe would just have to suffer.

The blonde had given her no end of grief for purchasing the shoes claiming they were worth a small fortune and showing her the price tag. Weiss ended up buying three pair and tipped a man to carry her bags out of the department store. It was hard for her team to be annoyed though. The heiress always paid for lunch and bought gifts for each of them. Spending money for her friends came just as naturally as for herself.

As she removed the black stains from her rapier with a cleaning rag and oil the heiress couldn't help but notice how quiet the area seemed. She knew that every shadow could be holding a multitude of Grimm and kept a watchful eye on her back. She had an ice glyph at the ready should anything be foolish enough to attack her.

The heiress enjoyed the calm breeze blowing her hair as she had let it down. She felt calm and relaxed for the first time since entering the city but a part of her was missing the excitement. Her area had been clear of Grimm and she had grown accustomed to the chaotic life of team RWBY and deep down enjoyed it.

So naturally she contacted the most chaotic person she knew.

"Hey Ruby," She said speaking into her wrist scroll. "what's your kill count up to?"

If nothing else it gave her an excuse to check up on her partner. They were supposed to check on each other at regular intervals but it seemed Ruby had gotten distracted. No surprise there.

_Silence_.

"Hey Ruby!" She said again a little louder in case her partner had gone deaf. "Come in dolt."

The heiress noticed that beside Ruby's symbol there was an icon saying she wasn't receiving the call.

Her eye twitched in annoyance.

"Listen dolt if you've muted me _again _I swear you'll wake up in an ice cube!"

Weiss grabbed her rapier and tied her hair back in a pony tail. She stormed to where her partner was supposed to be patrolling. It was a long walk and with throbbing feet it only made it seem longer.

Finally she rounded the corner to the courtyard and playground half expecting her partner to be going down the slide but the caped-girl was no where to be seen. Weiss noticed a red backpack laying up against the swing set and picked up the pace her aching feet forgotten.

"Ruby!?" She called cupping her hands together.

_She wouldn't just leave her ammo._ Weiss determined. _Or her water..._

Weiss opened her scroll again but her partner still wasn't receiving her.

She looked for signs of a struggle but it was useless as the entire area had been a battleground. She ran for a nearby alley hoping her partner had simply wandered off. Ruby would receive a tongue lashing courtesy of the Ice Queen of course but only after the heiress was done thanking her for being okay.

"RUBY!" She cried running into the darkness.

* * *

"We're never going to get first showers at this rate." Yang's shoulders slumped as she let her body fall to the ground.

"It's your own fault we're in this mess." Blake pointed out before collapsing beside her partner.

They were on the eastern side of the school overlooking an open field that had once been a parking lot decades ago. Many of the cars were under an over hang for protection against the elements but the years had not been kind and had collapsed on all the vehicles underneath save for one.

A motorcycle caught the blonde's eye and made a note to come back for it later. Her teammates didn't have any vehicles in the student garage and it'd be a shame to let this opportunity go to waste.

The faunus massaged the ears under her bow hoping they'd stop ringing. She was having to rely on her human ears at the moment which bothered her. It was like being in the dark.

"Why would you ever bet Ruby we could kill more Grimm than her? Let alone her _and _Weiss."

"It sounded like a good idea at the time." Yang said defending herself. "A little friendly competition never hurt anyone."

"Keep telling yourself that when you're taking a cold shower back at Beacon."

She sighed. "Ruby is gonna win this bet and probably kill half the Grimm in the city doing it."

Blake's jaw tightened and her knuckles turned white. "Don't forget why we're really here Yang. The White Fang remember?"

Yang glanced over. "I haven't forgotten Blake."

"Well someone has…"

The blonde noticed how stiff her partner looked and the memory of her trying to sneak away from the team was fresh in her mind.

"We'll find them Blake, I promise."

"Professor Ozpin sent us on a wild goose chase." She muttered. "And now with the Grimm knowing where in the city I'll never find the White Fang."

"Ozpin didn't guarantee us they'd be here." Yang reminded her. "Ruby made a mistake with the Beowolf pack, it happens but we're just gonna have to deal with it. And we're all looking for them not just you."

Blake shook her head.

"Don't take this the wrong way but it feels like Ruby's just here so she can accomplish a mission and get closer to the Vytal Festival. I don't think she really cares about the White Fang or Torchwick."

"Ruby does care." Yang breathed. "She cares because you care."

Blake nodded but she couldn't help but feel it wasn't enough. She had told her partner about how Ruby's aura didn't look right and how her scent was wrong but the blonde had chalked it up to Ruby's new shampoo. To a faunus though a person's scent wasn't much different from their soul and it being different was like a perversion. The caped-girl made her uneasy.

"I have to find them." Her voice shook and wrapped her arms around her knees. "I have to."

If Blake could stop the White Fang then maybe she could finally have have a clear conscience. Then she would be one step closer to getting the humans and faunus together.

"I'll talk to Ruby tonight." Yang promised. "We'll find the White Fang, just be patient."

"I've been patient," She nearly cried. "but the closer I get the more I see Torchwick with his cane to Sun's head about to kill him. I can still remember how the team looked after the paladin fight and after you fell unconscious. I can still look at Ruby and sense she's not the same after that Beowolf woman nearly killed her."

She brushed her fingers against Gambol Shroud. "And I can still remember everything I did when I was with the White Fang."

Yang tried to fill the area with her aura to calm her partner but quickly gave up as her aura was still too violent from her semblance. Instead she looked her partner in the eyes.

It was not uncommon for others to find the faunus' eyes strange, especially when they didn't know she was a faunus, but Yang's kept flickering back and forth between red and lilac and even Blake found it odd.

"None of us care what you did in the White Fang." The blonde stated. "You said so last night that you were trying to bring the humans and faunus together. You did what you thought was right."

"And what I thought was right was wrong." Bitterness crept out of her voice and her shadow grew.

She looked away from the gaze of her partner but the blonde kept her head still.

"Blake," She sighed. "I believe in living life with no regrets. One regret has been with me for a long time and it makes me sick sometimes thinking about it. But there's nothing I can do about it now. All I can do is try to make things right as best as I can."

She grabbed her partner's shoulder. "What's your biggest regret with the White Fang?"

The faunus stared out in the distance watching a stray cat scurry down a dark alley.

"That everything I did to help the faunus cause only ended up hurting us." She said honestly. "And that I didn't leave sooner."

Yang nodded.

"I still can't look Weiss in the eye." She admitted.

"She doesn't blame you Blake."

"That's because she doesn't know everything yet. I'm also part of the reason why she'll never trust the faunus. Every time a Schnee or company member died the White Fang cheered...and I was one of them."

Yang nodded again but was slower and held her tongue. It was difficult for her to imagine Blake wearing a Grimm mask as her identity.

"I'll never forgive the Schnee Dust Company or the Schnee family for what they've done to us throughout history or sending us to Menagerie, but Weiss didn't deserve to grow up like she did. If she knew what we-" She swallowed. "What I-"

Her partner stopped her. "She'd forgive you. For everything."

"You don't know that."

Yang paused unsure herself what the heiress' reaction might be to hearing all that Blake had to say but knew it had to be said.

She took a deep breath. Her partner could make a decision she regretted for the rest of her life and she didn't want that to happen.

Yang coughed. "You know I wasn't always the nicest person to my stepmom, to Summer I mean."

Blake glanced over confused at what this had to do with Weiss but also surprised. Whenever Yang spoke of Summer it always sounded like they were close.

"Actually I hated her for a long time." She admitted.

"Why?"

Yang sighed. "Because she left me with my dad and took Ruby away from us."

The faunus was speechless. She had never thought of it like that.

"After Ruby was born I thought we would be a family and I would have a mom again." She blinked her moist, crimson eyes. "But when she left with Ruby it seemed like everything fell apart. My Uncle Qrow spent more time with Ruby than at Signal with me and Dad didn't exactly know what to do with a daughter."

"I felt like I was all alone. I'd still see Ruby and stay with Summer occasionally but it wasn't the same as being a real family."

"Looking back I realize it wasn't her fault. She was just doing what she thought was right. Summer treated me like her own kid and did her best. I can't imagine what she must have thought of me though."

"You were just a kid." Blake sympathized.

She nodded reluctantly. "But it doesn't change the fact that I said a lot of nasty things back then and now I can't take them back. I should have told her how much she meant to me and that she was the best mom I could have asked for."

Her eyes changed back to lilac for a moment.

"What I'm trying say is don't live with regrets. If Weiss is mad then let her be mad. Either way she deserves to hear the truth."

Her partner's words weighed heavily on Blake's mind. For her entire life she had hated the Schnee family as if it were ever faunus' right.

To her they had been nothing more than tyrants believing they were royalty from long ago. Meeting Weiss for the first time hadn't changed her opinion but at some point she had started to see the heiress for what she was, a friend and a good person.

"Please don't run from this." Yang asked.

Blake nodded and looked away from the alley.

"I won't." She promised. "When we finish the mission I'll tell Weiss everything."

The blonde smiled. "Good."

"RUBY!"

Both girls jumped to their feet as the heiress ran into view holding her scroll and Ruby's red backpack.

Normally Blake would have heard her teammate running to them but her ears were still buzzing from the battle.

Their hearts stopped seeing the terror on the heiress' face. She was as white as a sheet.

"Weiss what's wrong?!" Yang demanded as she ran to meet Weiss with Blake by her side.

"It's Ruby," She gasped out of breath. "I can't find her."

The color drained from the blonde's face as her worst nightmare had come true.

_She's all we have left of Summer. _Her father's words repeated back to her.

"I've tried calling but there's nothing."

The heiress covered her mouth and looked as though she were going to be sick. She had scouted the entire area and had seen no trace of the caped-girl.

She couldn't meet Yang in the eyes.

"Let me try." Blake opened her scroll.

All thoughts of the White Fang were gone as were her thoughts on Ruby's leadership. All that mattered was finding her.

"Ruby come in. Can you hear me?"

_*static*_

"Ruby can you hear me?" She repeated.

_*static*_

"That's all I get." Weiss confirmed. "Her wrist scroll must be broken."

The faunus shook her head. "She has her regular scroll too. Can you still read her vitals?"

Weiss whimpered and wiped her eyes. "No."

Yang let out a cry sounding like a wounded animal and it pulled at the girl's hearts.

"Doesn't mean anything." Blake said trying to comfort her partner. "Ruby is fine. There could be interference or something jamming the signal."

She was grasping at straws and they all knew it. Scrolls didn't just stop working.

Both Blake and Weiss were pushed away by the blonde's aura as it became hot and hostile. The very air they were breathing became violent. There was also something else new to her aura neither girl had ever felt or seen in Yang's aura, fear and pure terror.

"Why weren't you watching her?" The blonde growled to the heiress.

Weiss cowered in fear. "Yang, I'm sor-"

"RUBY!?"

The blonde's mane burst into flames and she reached for the heiress' throat but Blake grabbed hold of her pressing through her aura.

She grimaced and could almost feel Yang tearing her apart.

"Stop it Yang!" Blake commanded. "It isn't her fault. We'll find your sister."

"Let me go!" She snapped.

"Not until you and your semblance calms down."

Weiss fell to her knees knowing it was her fault. They were supposed to stick close to each other and she knew how Ruby wasn't fit in her current condition. If anything happened to her partner she'd never forgive herself, and neither would Yang."

"I'm so sorry," She repeated. "I'm so sorry."

A tear fell from her face as Yang continued to struggle.

Finally a hand got free and she swung a right hook at the heiress' jaw.

Weiss could see it coming and didn't even flinch.

The faunus appeared in front of the heiress at the last second absorbing the punch with her midsection.

Ember Celica discharged into the faunus' chest creating a red cloud of mist.

Weiss looked up and her mouth fell open.

Yang's crimson eyes went wide.

"BLAKE!" Yang screamed.

The shadow dissipated and Blake's arms were around the blonde but this time as an embrace.

Yang willingly burned up the rest of her semblance and she fell to her knees.

Her aura felt as though it had been torn in two just like her heart.

"I had to do it Yang." Blake said.

She looked at her teammates with shame written on her face.

"I'm sorry." She choked. "I couldn't stop it."

Weiss was staring at the pair knowing that the blonde's semblance filled punch and high grade dust would have sent her to the hospital in her current condition. She wouldn't have complained.

"It's okay." Blake said trying to be the calming influence on her team for once. "She's your sister."

The faunus glanced over at Weiss who slowly nodded but still had fear in her eyes.

"Come on." She released the blonde and extended hands to her teammates. "We have to find Ruby."

Blake lifted them both to their feet. Weiss was an absolute wreck and Yang was beginning to look even worse. Blake suspected she didn't look any better.

"Where did you last see her?" She addressed the heiress.

Weiss' heart pounded in her chest. "On the western side of the school but I looked every where."

"Why didn't you call us?" Yang asked not too kindly.

Blake could see fear in Weiss' eyes and understood. How do you tell someone that you can't find their sister and that they may be dead?

The faunus ignored the question and instead focused on the problem.

"Weiss go and find Oobleck. We need his help. Yang, we'll look for Ruby together."

She didn't want her partner to be alone. If Ruby was indeed...gone, then that would be the worst thing possible.

The blonde nodded grateful to have Blake with her.

"She'll be okay." The heiress said trying to convince herself more than anyone. "She can take care of herself."

Blake nodded. If anyone could survive in the lost city it was the caped-girl. But in her current condition who knows how far she could make it.

"Come on." Yang said tired of standing around. "Let's go."

She picked up her backpack and turned to run.

"Yang," Blake stopped her. "other way."

The blonde halted and turned the other way looking starry eyed. Weiss looked over at Blake.

"I'll keep an eye on her." She promised.

"I'm so sorry."

Blake grabbed her shoulder. "It's not your fault. It'll be fine Weiss, don't worry."

"Please find her." She begged. "Please..."

The faunus nodded.

She released the heiress and ran to catch up with her partner but glanced back to see the Weiss still frozen in place.

_It's your blood that's red like roses._

It ran through all their minds. They could hear the words in Ruby's frail voice from the night before. The words had such a darker meaning now.

"Please be okay." Weiss prayed.

* * *

The caped-girl awoke with water dripping on her face. Her eyelids fluttered open and she rolled over to her stomach groaning. She lay there in torment as the pain began registering. Her aura had saved her life but just.

The caped-girl cursed as she grabbed her right shoulder.

"Why is it always the shoulder?" She muttered through clenched teeth digging her face into the dirt.

She tried to lift her body but fell back on her face when the world began to spin. She closed her eyes and did a mental checklist over her body. Everything hurt but nothing felt broken. Her aura was nearly gone which meant her injuries wouldn't be getting better anytime soon. She suspected they'd only get worse as time went on. The red dust burns and glass lacerations were returning.

"Get up." She ordered herself.

On shaky hands and knees Ruby fought back the pain. She reached around her belt for Crescent Rose so she'd have something to lean on, and something to comfort her.

"Crescent?" She asked when her hand was met with open air.

In the darkness she felt around for her baby but came to a horrifying realization. She tilted her head as far as it would go and squinted hard to see. High above and barely a red dot was Crescent Rose embedded in the stone where she had fallen from. Daylight trickled down but was nearly lost in the darkness.

She remembered why she had let go of her baby.

_The Mimic..._

Ruby stumbled in the darkness unable to see where she was going or what was ahead of her. She opened her scroll to get some light and turned on team chat.

"Someone!" She cried. "I need help!"

*static*

"Weiss please come in!" She begged.

No response and no signal.

Ruby's head sank and her eyes watered in frustration giving her the strength to stand up.

"Please help me..."

_Chung chung!_

Ruby froze and instinctively raised her hands as she felt something press against her back.

"Don't move." The man holding the gun ordered. His voice sounded as though it was coming from behind a mask.

"I'm not." She verified.

_Congratulations dolt. _She scolded herself. _You found the White Fang all by yourself._

"You lost little girl?" The masked man mocked. "Maybe we should go find mommy and daddy."

"Listen we need to get out of here." She said ignoring his taunts. "There's a Mimic and-"

"A Mimic?" He laughed. "Aren't you a little old to still be reading fairy tales?"

"No listen to me! Its down here with us!"

The man clicked his tongue. "Sorry to break it to you kiddo but I don't see a thing. Only a lost little girl wearing a red hood."

She swallowed remembering that most faunus had night vision. A part of her felt revealed the Mimic hadn't followed but then she remembered there was a gun pressed into her back.

_No problem. _She thought.

"Besides, as long as we leave the Grimm alone they leave us faunus alone."

Ruby furrowed her brow in the darkness. What did he mean by that? What did being a faunus have to do with Grimm?

She was taken out of her moment as the gun pressed harder into her back causing her to flinch.

"Now why don't you tell me why you're in the lost city brat. You a student at Beacon or something?"

The caped-girl took a deep breath and focused what little aura she had left. All she needed was a second.

"You really shouldn't put a rifle up against someone's back." She informed calmly.

The shotgun pressed harder into her spine making her smile through clenched teeth.

_Perfect._

"And why is that?" He scratched his finger on the trigger.

"Because it makes it real easy to-"

Ruby spun making sure she had a hand on the gun and flared her semblance. She brought a boot across the side of his masked man's head knocking him to the ground unconscious.

"-To do that." She finished out of breath and falling to her knees.

She couldn't help but feel that she had done her Uncle Qrow proud, but she also could help but feel extremely tired and sluggish.

Ruby looked for an exit but could only see darkness.

_Why didn't you bring a flashlight dolt?_

She paused. "I've been hanging out with Weiss too much."

Ruby got on shaky legs and opened her scroll again so she'd at least have some light. She was painfully aware that both faunus and Grimm could see in the dark.

She bumped into a wall and began to follow it remembering something about mazes and that if you hug a wall you'll come to an exit eventually. The caped-girl wondered if it still worked in the dark when being hunted.

The scroll didn't give off much light however and Ruby's knees buckled as she tripped. The gun skidded across the ground along with her scroll which closed. She was left in the dark once again.

Ruby crawled to the gun and was relieved to have a hand on it again.

She tried to lift it but it wouldn't budge. Ruby tried both hands but something was on top of it. She felt around and held her breath.

It was a boot.

She looked up but couldn't make out the white mask in the darkness.

"Marco." The foot's owner said.

She turned to run.

"Polo." Another voice said behind her.

A boot crashed into the caped-girl's skull and she collapsed to the ground.

The masked man wearing glasses stooped down and tied a cable around her arms and legs and threw her on the other's shoulders.

"Torchwick isn't gonna like this..."

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Yang and Blake finally got a scene to themselves so I hope you liked it. Yang's reaction to being told her sister may be dead felt natural to me seeing how her semblance was already active. I didn't like the idea of her actually harming her friends so I went with Blake's shadow instead. Don't worry about the Mimic it isn't gone forever. It's an ambush predator so attacking a group wouldn't be its style. Plus there is something between the faunus and Grimm going on. Once again thank you everyone for supporting me and the story. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of you. To those going to RTX have fun and be safe traveling. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible and to Him goes all the glory. God bless**


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

The Great Escape

* * *

_Long ago before we met, I dreamed about you and the peace you would bring. Then one day you arrived and I heard your angel cry, "Helpless, small, and perfect, welcome to your new life"._

* * *

Team RWBY had split up to cover more ground in search for Ruby. Blake and Yang searched to the northwest of the area Ruby had last been while Weiss searched to the south and Oobleck to the northeast. The faunus searched every alleyway and every rooftop looking for a trace of the caped-girl but so far nothing. Their search expanded to the shopping centers as the school was fading in the distance. Soon the light would be fading too.

Blake came to a stop and Yang plowed right into her nearly knocking her to the ground.

"Sorry." Yang said.

The faunus brushed herself off and looked back at her partner who was a mess. She constantly kept an eye on her scroll just in case her sister's vitals changed.

"She'll be okay." Blake repeated for the hundredth time. It was becoming more of a plea than a statement.

"Yeah, I know." The blonde kept her eyes on the scroll.

Her sister's name and picture were grayed out. Meaning she was either out of range or... gone.

Blake's nose twitched as the wind changed. All around the birds and crickets stopped chirping.

"You smell that?" She asked.

The blonde looked up. "Smell what?"

Blake pulled out her katana and cleaver and followed the source of the scent. It reminded her of decaying shadows.

Yang followed behind keeping an eye on her scroll.

They came to a halt outside an old dust shop where hole about four feet in diameter opened in the concrete. Giant claw marks stretched from the dust shop for several yards and the ground was stained black.

There were also speckles by blood as if it had fallen from the sky.

The faunus had to cover her mouth to keep from vomiting. The stench coming from the store was horrific to her sensitive nose but the blonde barely noticed.

Yang stared into the abyss as her eyes become misty. She bent down and reached into the darkness.

"No don't!" Blake ordered fearful of what might be around but the blonde ignored her.

Stretching her arm all the way she yanked Crescent Rose out of the ground and held it up for Blake to see.

The blonde's eyes looked vacant and empty as if her soul had been ripped from her.

Parts of the scythe had turned black and the blade had deep scars and chips. It looked as though something had grabbed hold of it.

Blake's hand shook as she opened her scroll.

"Weiss, Oobleck," She said evenly. "you need to get over here."

"That's Dr. Oobl-" The professor said before being muted.

There was a pause on the other end as the heiress fumbled with her scroll.

"Did you find her?!" Her voice cracked.

Blake shook her head but they couldn't see her. "We're on the northwest side of the school by a shopping center."

"Is Ruby there?" Weiss said nearing hysterics.

Blake hesitated and glanced at her partner who was still staring at Crescent Rose's blade.

"No," She choked. "Just get over here."

She hung up.

Yang glanced down and picked up a scrap of red cloth.

"Ruby's hood." Blake guessed.

The blonde cradled the torn cape and scythe to her chest.

Minutes later Oobleck arrived and Weiss a minute behind him. A soft golden glow was coming from the heiress. She had used a weak haste glyph to keep up with the professor.

"Oh no..." She whispered coming to a stop when she saw Ruby's scythe and a scrap of red cloth in the blonde's hands.

Oobleck bent down and examined the claw marks on the ground but everyone else were more focused on the one's on Ruby's scythe.

"What kind of Grimm could do that to Crescent Rose?" Weiss asked.

The others just stared in awe. Their own weapons began to feel much smaller seeing the massive sniper scythe in such condition.

"Something very old and very dangerous." Oobleck said glancing around as sweat beaded on his brow.

"It'll be okay." Blake said trying to reassure her teammates. "Ruby is fine."

Weiss couldn't look her teammates in the eye and all Yang did was stare into the abyss.

"She's down there..."

Blake looked down and a moment later Oobleck and Weiss joined them.

"Can you see anything miss Belladonna?" The professor asked hesitantly.

Blake narrowed her eyes to see better.

"I can see the bottom. It's some kind of cave or unfinished maintenance tunnel, but I'll need a closer look."

Oobleck bit his lip not liking the sound of that but nodded.

"Stay here." The faunus took a deep breath and jumped into the darkness with her weapons ready.

When her teammates heard her feet hit the bottom they followed without hesitation.

They landed and the faunus turned back at them but they couldn't tell because of the darkness.

Weiss grabbed a flashlight from her pack shining it on the faunus' face who grimaced.

Oobleck arrived a moment later.

"See or sense anything?"

The faunus stooped to the ground and examined the dirt.

"This is where Ruby landed." She stood up and followed the slight impression of boots.

Yang got to her knees where Ruby had fell. She could see a hand imprint where her sister had pushed herself up. She placed her hand right above Ruby's.

Weiss stood behind her and nervously shifted her body weight.

"She's alive." The blonde said.

Weiss nodded but still looked scared.

Blake came to a stop as the tracks ended and a new set began.

"What is it?" Oobleck asked.

Yang got up and Weiss followed with the flashlight. They could barely see the impressions in the ground.

"It's the White Fang," Blake growled. "they've got Ruby."

Weiss choked and her eyes went wide.

The blonde's flames activated casting shadows all around the cave nearly blinding them. That's all she needed to hear.

She took off running.

* * *

The caped-girl groaned as she was awoken by the sound of giants walking.

_BBSSSHHHH! BBBSSSHHH! BBSSHHH!_

Her eyelids opened but everything was hazy and her head was throbbing. She tried to rub her eyes to get the sleep out but her hands wouldn't budge. They were tied behind her back. She tried to kick her legs but she found she couldn't move them either.

She stared down at the ground watching it move which confused her. Someone was carrying her over their shoulder.

Ruby craned her neck but could only make out the side of a white mask. On either side of the large man carrying her was another masked man. The one on the left carried a rifle and rubbing a nasty purple bruise on the side of his face while the other wore glasses over his mask with his chin held high.

The caped-girl could see something large moving behind them and other people in masks staring back at her.

Ruby blinked away the fog clouding her sight believing she was still dreaming. Why were there bullheads with legs?

_Paladins!_ The rational part of her mind screamed.

Her body tensed up as she began to take in her surroundings. They were in some kind of large underground cavern with train tracks running through a dark tunnel and they standing on a large platform with boxes and crates labeled _volatile._ All around men and women in Grimm masks carried supplies while operators in paladins moved heavy shipping containers with _SDC_ printed on the the side.

Ruby had never seen a subway or train station before but it all seemed very old fashioned to her. Her eyes lit up seeing a train for the first time in her life but they quickly faded and her mouth opened.

The symbol and the name of the train...

_Schnee Dust Company Locomotion._

Ruby remembered the White Fang stealing a SDC train months prior to joining Beacon. It had been all over the news and Weiss had mentioned it briefly. The caped-girl could still remember how upset it had made her partner.

They came to a stop outside a derailed train car and the large man tossed her to the ground as if she were garbage.

She grimaced as she skinned her knees on the hard ground.

"Hey boss," The glasses wearing faunus cried. "I've got something you'll want to see."

Ruby could hear the shuffling of papers and a fist striking a desk.

"This had better be good Perry!"

Ruby's eyes widened as she recognized the voice.

"Because if it's not you'll be having a stern talking to with Neo."

The man gulped and his hand reached for his throat. "It's a little girl in a red cape and hood sir. We found her in the southern tunnel."

A black bowler hat with a red stripe poked its way out the door. Roman Torchwick's eyes rested on the caped-girl and he frowned.

Ruby was glad he couldn't see her hands shaking behind her back.

"Is this good boss?" Perry squeaked.

"Perry," He said taking a deep breath. "this is the best news I've heard in weeks."

Torchwick threw his bowler hat in the air and grabbed a nearby White Fang member and hugged him.

"I can finally get out of this dump!" He cried letting him go to retrieve his hat.

The masked men turned to each other not understanding and the man who'd just been hugged backed away.

"Keep this up and you'll make lieutenant one of these days Perry." Torchwick promised.

"But I'm the one who caught her!" The large man beside Perry shouted.

"I saw her first!" Said the one with the purple bruise on his face.

"Listen up people!" Torchwick yelled getting the attention of everyone even the paladin operators. "There has been a slight change of plans to the operation."

The White Fang began to murmur to themselves causing Torchwick to narrow his eyes.

"We have been discovered by the huntsmen."

The voices stopped and the man with the bowler hat grinned as he was the center of attention again.

"Move all dust containers onto the train and prepare to withdraw. We're moving ahead of schedule!"

No one moved.

Torchwick's hand drifted to his cane as he took notice of all the white masks starring back at him.

"Unless you'd like to meet the huntsmen and military first hand then I suggest you MOVE!" He screamed.

The White Fang scattered as his threat worked and supplies began piling into train cars as the paladin carried massive crates to be unloaded onto each.

Torchwick sighed and looked down at the caped-girl on the ground. He grinned ear to ear.

"Where are my manners?" He apologized. "How's it going _Red_? Seems you've had better days."

He practically skipped to her side and tipped his hat. He noticed all the cuts and bruises on the young girl and how weak she looked.

"Looks like you had a nasty run in with a Grimm, Red. I'll be sure to thank it later."

He stooped down examining her head. "I also like the boot impression on your head. Please tell me it hurt."

Ruby spat in his face.

He sneered and stood up.

"That wasn't very nice." He chided as he wiped the spit away with a handkerchief. "Luckily for you I don't hit little girls."

Torchwick lit a cigar.

"Perry." He waved his hand.

She barely had time to prepare as a boot was driven into her stomach knocking the breath out of her.

Ruby gasped for air as she began coughing and heaving on the ground.

"Good job Perry. After the City of Vale falls I'm recommending you for a promotion."

"Thank you sir." The young man beamed.

Ruby's eyes widened at the mention of Vale and her coughing ceased.

The man in the bowler hat noticed her reaction.

"Oh silly me." Torchwick said smacking his forehead.

He stooped down again blowing smoke in her face.

_*cough, cough*_

"Tell me Red, have you ever heard of the massacre in the Patchwork mountains?"

He grinned as he saw her defiant eyes showed fear.

"Now imagine that just with a lot more dead bodies."

"No." She whispered and began shaking her head.

"Afraid so kiddo." He feigned sympathy. "It's gonna look like the lost city when we're through and it's all thanks to you."

She looked confused and Torchwick was all too eager to enlighten her.

"We weren't supposed to move out for a couple more months but thanks to you I don't have a choice to move out of this glorified zoo." He smiled as he looked from faunus to faunus. "Good riddance."

Ruby shook her head refusing to believe she was playing a part in a plan so horrible.

"You have no idea how great it'll be to get some fresh air again. Since I'm not a faunus I can't exactly go to the surface."

Torchwick could read her face that she didn't understand and he laughed.

"There's a reason why the faunus have been able to survive and thrive outside the kingdoms kid. In case you couldn't tell they're not exactly human."

She gritted her teeth.

"Most Grimm think they're nothing more than animals." He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "And they're right."

Ruby tried to headbutt him but he retreated too quickly.

"The Grimm in the city don't even notice us, and if they do Neo takes care of them."

He chuckled. "You know I didn't think Grimm could actually feel fear but I believe Neo may have changed my mind."

"Also I'd keep an eye on that cat friend of yours. Who knows what horrible secrets she could be keeping."

Ruby didn't say anything. She knew Blake had her secrets and had her reasons for keeping the team in the dark. She also didn't trust Torchwick for a second. She didn't care if the faunus did have animal like features, they were just as human as she was.

"Okay _Red_ time for business." He said losing his jovial attitude. "Tell me who all is in the city with you and I promise I won't kill you."

He winked. "For now."

Ruby reminded silent causing him to sigh.

"I'm sure your little friends are here of course. _White_, _Yellow_, and your pet cat of course, but I really need to know if there are any _real_ huntsmen with you. They could be a problem for us."

Ruby tried to spit in his face again but Torchwick put his cane under her chin and his finger on the trigger.

"I wouldn't do that," He advised his face growing dark. "but I really wished you would."

Ruby bore holes into him and thought of several names to call him but kept her tongue.

"Good girl." He patted her head. "Perry?"

"Yes sir?" He saluted.

"Go find Neo and see if she's busy. Tell her that I have a friend who isn't cooperating."

Perry hesitated but nodded and slowly turned to leave.

Torchwick held up a finger and grimaced.

"If she's busy though I wouldn't bother her. We still haven't found the last Perry's head."

The masked man wearing glasses was visibly shaking as he left and kept rubbing his throat as if it was stinging.

Torchwick tipped his hat clasped before his hands together.

"Well _Red_ it's been a pleasure but I must be going."

He stood up and dropped his cigar on her red cape. Her eyes went wide as he stomped it out leaving brown stains everywhere.

"Tell Neo I said hi. When you're not screaming that is."

Ruby stared down at the beloved cape not believing what Torchwick had just done.

_Mom... _She nearly cried.

"Throw her in the first train car." He ordered. "I want _Red_ to be there when the fireworks go off..."

* * *

Yang stopped at a fork in the tunnel and cursed. She had three choices and only one would take her to Ruby.

Her teammates came to a stop behind her and furrowed their brows at the new branch of tunnels.

"Blake," She urged. "Can you smell them?"

"I'm a faunus Yang not a bloodhound." She snapped in frustration.

Not knowing where they were going Blake felt as blind as her teammates. Her hearing had returned but strange sounds echoed throughout the tunnels and sometimes from multiple directions. It was making it impossible for her to get her barrings. She didn't even know what direction they were heading. The caves were like a labyrinth.

The blonde growled and her mane caught fire lighting the darkness more than their flashlights.

"Should we split up?" Weiss asked.

"That may be the best plan of action." Oobleck agreed. "We'll split up into two groups. Miss Xiao Long and miss Belladonna you go on the left, miss Schnee will go down the middle, and I'll take the right."

"RRRRAAAAA!" The blonde roared as she charged straight down the middle tunnel.

"Yang wait!" Her partner cried. "How do you know that's the right tunnel?"

"I just do." She called back.

The three followed unsure if they were going the right way but trusted the blonde's instincts to find her sister.

_Please be okay. _They all prayed.

"We're coming Ruby!" Yang shouted.

* * *

"It's your lucky day kid." The masked man with the glasses said as he returned.

The White Fang member Ruby had kicked in the face earlier threw her in the train car making a loud thud. With her arms and legs tied she had no way to break her fall and she groaned as the side of her head hit the steel floor.

He seemed to enjoy the payback.

"Was that crazy woman too busy to come out?" The larger masked man asked.

Perry nodded but looked over his shoulder to make sure she wasn't around.

"I knocked on her door and of course she didn't answer, so I walked in and caught her throwing flaming knives at some woman's picture on a dart board. I took the hint and left."

"Smart man."

Perry poked his head in the train car. For some reason he kept looking to the caped-girl's left and frowning. She looked over but could barely make out a dark shape.

"We'll be checking back in a little while so don't go anywhere." He turned to the others. "We need some more _fireworks."_

The other men chuckled and closed the door leaving Ruby in complete darkness.

Finally she was alone with her thoughts. She didn't have to pretend she was brave anymore. She could peal the mask of bravery off.

She wept.

_This is a fine mess you've gotten yourself into dolt. How are you going to get out of this one?_

"Shut up Weiss." Ruby sniffled and blinked away the tears.

What she wouldn't give to hear her partner's voice again or Blake's ability to perfectly summarize a situation with as few words as possible or none at all.

Most of all though she missed her sister. Yang would be worried sick about her and search endlessly for her, but would she find her?

Ruby didn't want to think about it. Her teammates had no idea where she was or even that the White Fang were in the city, and Ruby wasn't even sure _where _in the city's underground there were. She had been asleep for so long and had to face the facts, they weren't coming.

She lay on the cold steel drifting near unconsciousness. Her body felt broken just like her spirit. She couldn't even feel her hands the binds were so tight.

Starting with her throbbing head Ruby took note of all her aches and pains. It almost became a game as she kept finding new ones.

One residing fact kept playing in her mind however. She wasn't dead and she was the only one who knew about Torchwick's plan.

She had to find a way to the surface or else the entire City of Vale was in trouble. She had to find her friends.

The caped-girl struggled with the binds around her arms and legs but they wouldn't budge. Once again she was reminded that her sister could have ripped the binds without even trying.

She was wasting time. The training with her uncle was coming back to her in cloudy memories, probably due to being kicked in the head and landing on it from the fall.

Ruby rolled over to her stomach and kicked her legs up. The binds were keeping her feet together but they weren't as tight as the ones around her hands.

The position hurt and strained at her muscles but she just grimaced and felt around for the buckles on her boots. With her hands half asleep her fingers were slow and confused at first but practice had given her muscle memory.

Once she felt the pressure around her ankles lessen she rolled over to her back and kicked her legs up in the air again. Inch by inch her boots began slipping off.

_*clomp*_

"Thank you Uncle Qrow." She muttered in respect to her former teacher.

Ruby couldn't help but sigh at the feeling of relief of her shoes coming off. It was always the first thing she did when the team got back to the dorm.

She rubbed her feet together and the padded socks felt damp.

_Blood. _She thought not surprised. _I'm running out of time._

They had been itching since she had left the hospital and after the Beowolf fight she knew it was only a matter of time until the injuries fully reopened.

Ruby rolled over and grabbed the leg bindings around her shoes to get a better idea of what she was dealing with. She carried a small pocket knife in her belt but doubted it would have done much good. It seemed the White Fang had confiscated her ammo belt regardless.

Without Crescent Rose, her ammo belt, and her pocket knife the caped-girl felt naked. She even went to bed with her knife and if it hadn't been for Weiss' fear of being decapitated she'd still sleep with Crescent Rose.

Ruby held a firm grasp around the binding and took a deep breath. She focused just a tiny amount of aura as a test.

The bindings gave no response and Ruby nearly cried out as her body protested. She sat catching her breath as sweat dripped from her face. Just using her aura for a simple task wore her out.

She was entering dangerous territory with her aura. When Weiss and Blake ran out of aura their semblances simply stopped working, not so with the sisters. Their semblances were physical and they could keep pushing themselves at the cost of their bodies and the caped-girl could feel her's beginning to break.

Every time Ruby used her speed semblance she was straining her body but her aura would keep her from injuring herself. Without that aura her muscles would begin tearing.

The caped-girl sighed. Untying her arms would have to wait. She counted herself lucky that the White Fang didn't know how to tie legs together.

Ruby touched the place where Torchwick had put his cigar out on her cape and she bit her quivering lip. Her beloved cape had been through much worse than that over the years. There had been chocolate, rips, holes, and even bloodstains in her cape, but seeing someone use it as an ashtray nearly broke her heart.

She tried not dwell on that though. She had to get to the surface and she knew she would need all the aura she could get and that meant neglecting her injuries. She would stockpile all that she could.

And so she waited and listened. For how long she wasn't sure.

A paladin stomped near her train car and she could hear orders being given by a man with a deep voice. It sounded as though he had an Atlesian accent but she couldn't tell. He kept saying something about putting delicate cargo onto each train car.

She thought she heard the name Adam, but once again everything was too muffled to tell and she didn't have Blake's cat hearing. She doubted he was important anyway.

Sitting in the darkness she waited. There was a slight glow coming from her face and slowly she realized it was her silver eyes.

_What? _She asked herself as she hadn't activated her semblance or even her aura.

The room was lightening up for her and she could even see a strange machine in the corner.

When she heard Torchwick's voice again she couldn't help but have her breath catch.

Ruby could have sworn she heard him say something about _Red's_ fireworks.

She steadied her breath and swallowed. Her aura had barely changed but it would have to do.

Minutes later she could hear the door unlatch.

In a moment of panic Ruby threw herself atop her boots and bindings before tucking in her legs. If they saw she was free there would be no chance at escape. She had to take them by surprise.

The heavy door slid open and Perry walked in lazily. He carried a small box with the Schnee Dust Company logo and set it down next to the box in the corner.

He stooped down next to the caped-girl and smiled.

"I hope you like fireworks kid. You're gonna get up close and personal with them."

"We'll see about that."

Ruby roared as she kicked him as hard as possible in the kneecap knocking him to the ground. She got to her feet before kicking him again hard in the chest knocking the wind out of him.

She stumbled out of the train car feeling dizzy and landed on her face. Luckily the White Fang and Torchwick were all surprised and stared back in shock.

It seemed they were all stuck in time staring back at each other.

"Kill her!" Torchwick shouted.

He raised his cane and put the caped-girl in his sights.

Ruby flared her semblance dodging the fireball by inches. She could feel the heat on the back of her neck.

The White Fang recovered from their shock and several opened fire. She darted towards the closest tunnel but several men blocked the entrance holding rifles.

She turned to the right but Paladins covered the southern entrance while the White Fang covered all the other exits.

At the very end of the cavern though was an unguarded tunnel but it was the furthest way and a small army stood between her and freedom.

She naturally charged.

Bullets flew past her in all directions and another fireball barely missed her. With another flair of her semblance she was weaving between bodies moving too fast for hands to catch her. All they got were fist fulls of rose petals.

Ruby used the White Fang and a tower of crates for cover confident the others would stop firing.

Finally she was out of the crowd and nothing was between her and freedom.

_TTTSSUUU!_

Ruby tripped as she heard the whistling of the fireball before she had time to react.

"AAAHHHH!" The caped-girl screamed as she and several of the masked men were engulfed in flames.

Torchwick reloaded his cane smiling to himself.

"Maybe running in front of the dust supply was a bad idea _Red_." He chuckled. "It can be a real killer."

The White Fang scattered as the flames spread around the cavern. Torchwick lit a cigar in celebration with the flames.

He laughed maniacally at the caped-girl's apparent death while the rest of the White Fang starred back at him in shock. He had just shot his own men at the cost of a little girl.

*cough, cough*

"Huh?" Torchwick narrowed his eyes at the flames as a small figure crawled out.

The caped-girl emerged from the flames on her knees and her hood over her face.

Smoke rose from her singed cloths and pink skin covered her body. Her face was covered with soot and blood trickled down her brow.

She got to her feet stomping out the flames on her cape while still coughing and gagging.

"What?!" Torchwick cried as he nearly bent his cane in half.

Ruby looked up and the man in the bowler hat sneered seeing the look of defiance in her glowing silver eyes.

"KILL HER!" He screamed.

Ruby activated her semblance again and ran straight for the furthest tunnel not caring where it took her. Her body protested in anger and tears welled up in her eyes with every step.

_Keep going!_ She said to herself. _Keep going!_

_Run! _Her friends said to her. _Run!_

A bullet barely missed her cheek but she paid it little mind. All she cared about was the tunnel. She was so close to freedom.

Ruby heard the whistling of another fireball and she closed her eyes as she dove.

The fireball hit right above her head and the explosion sent her sailing. The ceiling began to collapse and the caped-girl crawled to safety as a large boulder landed where her head had just been.

_Keep going dolt!_

She was pelted by small rocks and she covered her face as she continued on.

Finally when Ruby could no longer hear the sounds of a rock-slide she looked up and saw the tunnel behind her had been completely buried by Torchwick's blast.

She had made it.

The caped-girl began to dry-heave. She could still taste dirt, smoke, and red dust. Her only saving grace had been her tripping.

When her episode was over she glanced down and saw why she had fallen. Her black socks were red with blood.

Ruby wasn't sure if she should sob or laugh. She was free and Torchwick had made her escape that much easier. All the pain her body was feeling was absolutely worth it.

Reality hit her again though when she remembered the White Fang's plan.

She grimaced as she got back to her feet hugging the wall for support. The White Fang had set up small lanterns in the tunnel likely for Torchwick and the few faunus who couldn't see in the dark. She budded up against the wall and began to follow it.

_I have to find the others. I have to save Vale..._

She began to run gritting her teeth as she did.

* * *

"I don't think this was the right way!" Weiss cried as the team followed the blonde down the tunnel.

Somehow the slowest member of the team was out-speeding everyone.

"Yang let's turn back!" Blake cried.

"You said that rock-slide came from this direction!" Yang shouted.

"That was a long time ago and probably just an echo."

Yang didn't bother arguing. This was the right way, she could feel it.

"Ruby!"

"Wait Yang!" The faunus said coming to a halt. "Someone's coming!"

The blonde kept moving not even slowing down.

_I have to find Ruby. _Her mind screamed. _I have to find-_

"Oomph!"

Yang collided with a red object going a hundred miles an hour.

"Oww!" The blonde cried as she fell to the ground grabbing her head. "What the-?"

"Sorry sis…" The caped-girl rasped.

Yang's eyes opened and everyone gasped at the figure laying on the dirt.

"RUBY!" They all shouted.

The caped-girl let out a meek cough.

"Hey guys. Miss me?"

Yang jumped atop her sister and hugged her immediately.

"Don't ever do that to me again!" Yang sobbed. "Don't you ever leave me like that again!"

Ruby joined her sister's sobs.

"I'm sorry sis. I didn't mean to worry you."

"When we get back to Beacon we're having you chipped like Zwei." The blonde promised.

"Hey I always come back don't I?" Ruby felt as though she were being squeezed in two but didn't mind.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief seeing the sisters back together. Yang's aura literally filled the tunnel with sunshine and they couldn't help but feel warm in the damp tunnel.

Weiss pulled out a tissue and handed one to Blake who graciously accepted.

Ruby rested her head on her sister's shoulder feeling exhausted.

"Would you mind untying my arms now? I'd like to hug you back."

Yang finally realized her sister wasn't hugging her back and that her hands had been tied with some sort of cable used on bullhead lines.

She looked at her sister's face and couldn't believe the mess. Beneath sweat, blood, and ash was her sister's teary silver eyes.

"What happened to you sis? Why'd you run off?"

"That's not important right now." Ruby said getting serious. "I found Torchwick and the White Fang. They're going to attack the City of Vale."

"What? How?" Oobleck demanded.

"They have a train and a subway rail running all the way to the city."

"But that's impossible. Where did they get the train?"

Blake's body froze and she dropped the tissue.

"They stole one." She whispered.

Ruby nodded.

Oobleck shook his head. "But the subway running between the two city's was sealed off years ago. The White Fang don't have that kind of man power."

"Paladins." Ruby answered and their eyes widened.

Everyone took a sizable gulp.

Professor Oobleck ruffled his hair. "Then we have no time to lose. Cut miss Rose's binds and see to her needs. We have no time to lose children."

Blake bent down and freed the caped-girl's hands with a gentle slice with her katana.

"Thanks." Ruby grimaced as she rubbed where the cable had bit her skin.

Ruby stood up after a moment and grabbed her sister in an embrace.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you sis."

Blake glanced at the blonde who was practically beaming.

"I think I have a pretty good idea."

Ruby let go of her sister and grabbed the faunus who went wide-eyed.

"Blake!"

"Hey Ruby," She choked. "missed you too."

The caped-girl let her go and saw Weiss standing there with a bottle of water.

"It's good to see you again." She said evenly. "We were rather worried about you."

Blake couldn't help but chuckle remembering the mess the heiress had been not being able to find her partner.

"Good to see you too Weiss." Ruby smiled as her partner tried to save face.

"Here." Weiss handed her a bottle of water which Ruby eagerly gulped down.

"Thanks." She said as water dripped from her chin. She took another sip and began to choke.

Yang handed Ruby her red pack and when her fit ended she rummaged for an extra pair of shoes.

Because her semblance put a lot of strain on her feet it wasn't unusual for Ruby's shoes to have holes in them after only a couple of weeks, so she had brought an extra pair on the mission. She pealed her socks off in favor of a fresh pair.

"Ruby," Weiss gasped. "your feet are bleeding."

"Yeah I know." She tied a shoe on. "They've been doing that for awhile now."

The team gave each other a knowing glance.

"Let me at least bandage them."

"It wouldn't do any good and we don't have time." She looked up at her worried teammates. "I'll be fine. My socks and boots have extra padding."

Weiss narrowed her eyes and glanced at the top of her head.

"And you've got a knot on your head." She reached out to touch it.

The caped-girl swatted her hand away. "We've got bigger things to worry about Weiss."

Ruby clipped extra ammo belt around her waste since the White Fang had taken hers. As she was pulling out an explosive ammo clip something caught her eye. A white bottle.

The pain killers the doctors had given her at the hospital. She had thrown them in her bag without thinking.

Medicine sometimes had funny effects on the caped-girl. How long would these last? Twenty minutes? Thirty minutes?

It would dull the pain her entire body was feeling. It wouldn't get rid of the pain, it would only mask it.

They would have to do.

She palmed two and made a motion like she was wiping her mouth before swallowing several mouthfuls of water. It hadn't been too long ago that Yang would have to crush her pills for her.

Weiss got in her face and Ruby froze. Her hand shook slightly afraid she'd been caught.

"Your face is filthy." Was all she said and Ruby furrowed her brow.

The heiress pulled up her sleeve and wiped the caped-girl's face shocking the team.

She pulled her arm back and sighed. "I suppose that will have to do for now."

Ruby grinned seeing the layers of black grime on her partner's sleeve.

"Thanks."

"Hmph," The heiress rolled her eyes. "You're going to be needing this by the way."

She opened her pack revealing an old friend.

"Crescent!" Ruby cried as Weiss carried her baby careful not to press a button and accidentally behead herself.

The caped-girl cradled her weapon to her chest and hummed softly.

"She was damaged in the fight." Yang said pointing.

Ruby looked down and saw black stains on the paint. With a shaky hand she unleashed her weapon so the six foot weapon filled tunnel. The blade had been chipped in places and it looked as though a large hand had grabbed it.

"It's fine." She choked. "I'll repaint her and sharpen the blade when we get back to Beacon."

"What could do that to Crescent Rose?" Blake asked but scared she already knew the answer.

Ruby put her weapon back in carrying mode but still cradled it in her arms to her chest.

"A Mimic." She whispered and everyone stopped breathing.

"Say again sis?"

"A Mimic. It lured me away." She swallowed. "I'm sorry guys I wasn't thinking."

The team was still too shocked for words and Oobleck took a sip from his thermos.

"It pretended to be a little girl and I followed it..."

"You saw a real Mimic." He said astonished.

She nodded.

"What did it look like?"

Ruby shuddered not wishing to talk about it and the team sensed it.

Yang looked down at Ruby's cape and noticed a similar black stain as on her weapon and a lump formed in her stomach. It had nearly gotten her baby sister.

Her eyes narrowed however as she noticed something familiar on her cape.

"Ruby, Is that tobacco?"

Ruby looked down and nodded.

"Torchwick." Blake muttered in disgust.

Yang's eyes turned red and she gritted her teeth. No one messed with Ruby's cape. No one...

Weiss stooped down to get a better look. There was a small tear at the bottom and it looked like it had been singed by a fire.

The heiress placed her hands on where the Grimm had grabbed her cape and immediately the stain began to fade as aura pumped through the cape.

"Weiss no!" Ruby said trying to pull back her cape but Weiss wouldn't let go.

She could feel her partner's aura and it was cold.

Weiss stood up when the evil mark was fully gone.

"There," She said slightly out of breath. "We'll have to wait until later to clean the rest of your cape."

"You shouldn't have done that." Ruby said but her partner shrugged.

She hadn't given much but she was sure the caped-girl would be able to absorb a little of her aura and seeing Ruby's cape like that made her sick.

Blake was grateful as the smell was horrendous.

"Everyone ready?" Oobleck questioned slightly impatient.

Everyone nodded while the blonde simply cracked her knuckles.

"Then drop your packs and ready your weapons.

They did as they were told and clipped extra ammo and dust to their belts.

"Time to save Vale." Ruby announced as she ran for the darkness with Yang a step behind her. She wouldn't be leaving Ruby again.

The rest followed ready for the war that was about to be unleashed. This was more than just a mission or about redemption. Their home was endanger and so were all the people who would never learn their names.

This was their duty as huntresses.

The memory of Patchwork was in Ruby's mind and she imagined all the chaos Torchwick and the White Fang would bring to the City of Vale. She wouldn't hide under a cloak again. This time she'd do something to stop the massacre.

"Let's catch that train!"

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. This was a very long chapter, sorry (your welcome?). Ruby got herself into this mess so I wanted her to be the one to get herself out of it no matter the cost. I also wanted everyone getting back together this chapter so I hope that flowed well. Chapters are going to be fairly long from here on out so be warned. I'll do my best to get them out in a timely manner but please bare with me. There were a lot of fun parts to this chapter so I hoped you enjoyed. Once again thank you for reading and all of the support you all have given me. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless)**


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

The Last Rose of Summer

* * *

The man in the black bowler hat lifted the White Fang member wearing glasses nearly off his feet with the barrel of his cane under his chin. Every single faunus in the cavern had their eyes fixated on the scene and despite many of them holding guns they did nothing to help their comrade.

"How did she escape Perry?" Torchwick asked calmly.

"I don't know." He choked.

The cane made a slight movement causing his legs to kick slightly.

"You let a little girl barely out of middle school out smart and over power you?"

"S-she was too fast sir."

Torchwick took a long drag off his cigar before blowing smoke in Perry's face.

"Please sir," He pleaded. "please don't kill me."

The man in the bowler hat lifted him a little higher so his boots no longer dragged the ground.

"It's a little too late for that Perry."

He pulled the trigger and after a brief flash of light a lifeless body fell to the floor and pair of glasses sprinkled with blood and soot skidded across the ground.

Torchwick took another long drag from his cigar and closed his eyes. When he opened them he saw every faunus staring back at him. A few had guns drawn on him.

_Animals... everyone of them. _He thought privately.

"That is the punishment for failure," Torchwick explained. "and a similar fate is awaiting for you when the huntsmen arrive."

The White Fang members exchanged worried glances with one another and Torchwick saw an opportunity.

"The huntsmen would kill all of you on sight given the chance but perhaps they'll be merciful and let some of you rot in prison, or-"

He dropped his cigar and stomped the light out.

"Maybe Atlas will find a new place to send unwanted faunus. I hear Menagerie is getting pretty crowded this time of year."

Slowly the rifles pointed at his head and chest fell. The bluff had worked, just like he knew it would.

The new recruits were so easy to manipulate it almost took the fun out of it for him. With a simple speech about faunus honor or about the cruelty of the huntsmen, Atlas, or the Schnee Dust Company he could whip them up in a frenzy or put fear into their souls.

Begrudgingly the mutinous eyes of the White Fang turned away and went back to work. They despised the man in the bowler hat but they feared the huntsmen more, and perhaps they hated the people of Vale even more still.

_Just like cattle._ Torchwick thought to himself as they wandered away with their tails between their legs.

A young man dropped a crate of dust and caught the attention of Torchwick. He looked around nervously making sure no one had seen his mistake but when he saw the orange haired man standing over his dead comrade he gulped.

Torchwick could see the nervous young man perspiring and he grinned ear to ear.

"Hey you."

The young man didn't move. It reminded Torchwick of a deer in the headlights.

He whistled as if he were calling his dog. "Come here for a minute. I've got a job for you."

As stiff as a board he lumbered over nearly tripping over his own feet.

_Perfect._

Torchwick bent over the body and picked up the pair of glasses.

"I've got good news for you kid. There's a job opening and I think you're perfect for it."

He set the glasses over the man's mask without even cleaning the blood first.

"Sir?" He moaned.

Torchwick sighed and pulled another cigar from his pristine white jacket.

"We still haven't found the other Perry's head after Neo..." He made the motion of a head being cut off.

"And this one..." He gave the body's leg a slight nudge. "Is kinda dead."

The orange haired man lit his cigar and winked.

"You'll do great Perry."

"But my name's-"

"No buts Perry," Torchwick ignored him. "Your first task is to remove your predecessor from my sight. Dead faunus are such a downer."

The new Perry looked as though he was going to be sick. His vision was covered by red.

"I know you can do this Perry." Torchwick gently patted him on the back. "I even see promotion in your future."

An explosion rang out in a distant tunnel causing everyone to pause. It had been the same one the caped-girl had escaped from.

Torchwick licked his lips and narrowed his eyes at the sound of the explosion. He released Perry and stood atop a box labeled volatile the faunus had dropped.

"Listen up people!" He fired a round from his cane to get the giant machines' attention.

They turned and looked.

"Paladin team your job is done and we're moving out as is. Scurry back to the airships and fall back to the southern base. I'm sure the White Fang leaders will be waiting for you."

_With a knife behind their backs..._

The paladins dropped their cargo and raced down a large tunnel with several of the White Fang following on foot afraid they'd be left behind. They didn't need to be told twice.

After weeks of watching the White Fang operate Paladins Torchwick had decided that _actual_ animals would have made better pilots and the Paladins themselves were bare bones prototypes and would be nearly useless in an actual fight. He had already lost four of them due to their arms breaking on heavy equipment and another when one had nearly stepped on Neo. The White Fang still hadn't found the operator's torso.

Torchwick also had Cinder's orders clear in his mind and _his lovely_ face meant more to him than what the huntsmen would do. He could destroy all the Paladins he wanted but not a single one was to fall in huntsmen hands. That had been a part of the arrangement Cinder had brokered with her associate in Atlas.

"You," He pointed to the youngest group of White Fang members that had their rifles trained on him earlier. "I need you to finish setting the timed charges. If those don't go off the mission is over."

He waved his cane to a control panel at the center of the cavern away from the train.

They looked back to the caved in tunnel where the sounds of exploding rocks could be heard and swallowed.

"You'll have plenty of time to get back to the train." He lied. "We'll wait for you."

The young men slowly nodded and Torchwick had to suppress a grin and mentally patted himself on the back.

_Why would we need timed charges if we have a train full of bombs?_

Luckily the men were either too nervous or thick to think it through and simply followed his orders.

"Everyone else on the SDC Express." He ran to the side of the train and waved his hat.

"Next stop the soon to be the ex-City of Vale!"

* * *

Yang grunted as she moved another mountain of rock blocking the path with her fists. Her teammates along with Professor Oobleck stood afar keeping a safe distance from the flying rubble. It would have been too dangerous for anyone besides Yang to clear the cave in and she could work faster without having to worry about accidentally killing her friends.

Ruby leaned against the cave wall for support as she chambered and re-chambered Crescent Rose over and over to make sure her baby wasn't jammed from the Mimic attack. The rifle operated as smoothly as always to which she was relieved. She could rely on it's high recoil to move around quickly and not her semblance.

Despite the claw marks and the black stain the Mimic had left as reminders, Ruby could still feel the aura around her weapon from years of being together. She would have to sharpen the blade when they returned to Beacon but the six foot scythe was still as deadly as ever.

She took a sigh of relief despite the worry going through her mind. While her sister was busy clearing the cave in Torchwick had created helping her escape Ruby was taking a much needed rest and storing what aura she could. With the medicine kicking in her body had a slight numb feeling as the pain was masked but not completely gone. She knew from experience that her aura would fight the pain killers making them both less effective so she focused on storing it for later which wasn't easy. Skipping two years at Signal had its drawbacks at times and she was finding more of them daily.

Weiss had given her a little of her own aura but it had been more of a comforting gesture than anything else. Without being an aura match her friends might have been able to heal a few of her minor injuries but with her body's numerous cuts, bruises, and burns it would have been of little help. It hadn't stopped her team from offering though.

On the opposite wall Blake kept her eyes focused over the blonde's shoulder as if she could see through the rock. Her shaking hand kept drifting to Gambol Shroud at her belt and her shadow danced in the dim light. Beside her Weiss kept a sharp eye on her partner taking note of every injury and how Ruby's aura kept flickering on and off.

The heiress knew Ruby was reserving her aura but couldn't stand the thought of her not having an aura shield for protection. She peeked at her wrist scroll and nudged Blake beside her. The faunus glanced down and shared Weiss' grimace. Without saying a word they nodded in agreement knowing what the other was thinking. Not only would they have to keep an eye on her but if the time came they would have to fight on the front line with Yang.

Besides team leader Ruby held multiple positions on the team that strengthened both Weiss and Blake. Ruby was the fastest girl on the team, had the highest caliber rifle, could fight at long, mid, and short range, had the hardest hitting weapon, and combo'd well with everyone on the team. Both sisters generally fought in the front while Weiss supported the team with glyphs and Blake was used as a distraction. Without Ruby it would mean they'd be less effective and would have to rotate.

It was something they had practiced before at her partner's insistence but Weiss tired easily on the front and couldn't support her team with glyphs, and while Blake was effective as a distraction and picking her battles she didn't have the offensive power of her teammates to hold a line.

They took some solace in the fact that Ruby would have her sniper rifle to support them and watched as she swung her blade around left handed before embedding it in the rock. She sat down and picked her foot up to tighten her shoe but paused when she noticed her teammates staring back at her.

Ruby could read their worried expressions and the caped-girl forgot about her injured feet and stood up straight. She needed to look strong for her team. They couldn't go into battle worrying about her when they had their own lives to look out for and the City of Vale handing over their heads.

"I'm fine." Ruby said with authority and a hint of annoyance as she chambered her rifle again. She pulled the blade of the stone only to grind it against a metal pipe creating sparks. They continued to stare back at Ruby's determined face as she had a grip on Crescent Rose so firm her knuckles turned white.

Eventually they turned their heads to watch the blonde instead.

Ruby sighed at her small victory and once again implanted the blade into the rock and sat on Crescent Rose finding it much easier to tighten her shoes this way than bending over.

When she smelled hair burning she looked up to see her sister on fire.

"This should do it!" Yang roared as she readied her final punch.

"Careful miss Xiao Long." Oobleck urged. "We do not want the ceiling to coming crashing down on us...again."

Blake turned her back to her team and shielded both sets of ears while the others covered the one.

When Yang's fist connected with the stone and it seemed as if the entire tunnel moved as everything exploded around them. Ruby pulled her hood up to protect her face while the others simply covered their mouths and noses with their sleeves.

_*cough, cough* *cough, cough* *cough, cough* *cough, cough*_

When the dust finally settled the blonde removed her nearly brown goggles and pointed behind her.

"Anyone else see a train?"

With their coughing fits over the others peered around her and besides Ruby were all awed by the old subway station the White Fang had expanded on. It was enormous and could have fit an army.

Two girls however were much more interested in the train that was steadily moving forward.

The engine whistled causing Weiss to curse under her breath.

"That's my train." The heiress hissed grabbing Myrtenaster.

Blake's shadow shrank but she already had her weapons out and was practically snarling.

Yang however was still grinning from her hard work and her aura showed.

Oobleck patted her on the shoulder.

"Excellent work miss Xiao Long, I always had faith you wouldn't kill us."

Yang blew her mane out of her eyes

"Don't mention it." She said not entirely convinced he was being sincere.

Oobleck took off running for the train and the team hurried behind him. "Hurry children!"

"Stop them!" Cried a familiar voice.

Roman Torchwick stood atop the train pointing his cane in their direction.

"You!" Blake cried.

Torchwick waved his hat as a fireball flew towards them. Yang ran forward and simply swatted it out of the air with her crimson eyes seething.

The masked men _guarding_ the panel in the middle couldn't help but grin seeing what was coming towards them. Why should they worried? It was only four girls and a man resembling a stick figure with glasses.

Bullets whizzed over the team's heads as the White Fang opened fire. Weiss plunged her rapier into the ground creating an ice barrier to hide behind.

The team took cover and breathed deeply. They counted over twenty men firing automatic rifles.

Everyone naturally turned to the caped-girl who's mind began racing.

"Freezer Burn!" Ruby shouted.

Several ice glyphs appeared around Yang who smashed her fists together filling the circles with her aura. When the heiress flicked her wrist half of the cavern was covered in a mist and the gun fire from the White Fang became more erratic.

"I can't see!" Several of the White Fang cried.

Ruby took a deep breath.

"Ice Flower!"

Crescent Rose's peaked over the ice as white glyphs appeared at the barrel of the sniper rifle. Ruby fired and it was as if a blizzard blew through the subway as the mist and ice shells combined with Yang's aura.

"What's going on?" A man cried as he tried to lift his feet but couldn't.

"Sssoo...cccolldd." Another stuttered.

"Lady Bug!"

The White Fang tried to blind fire into the mist but many of their weapons simply _clicked _and refused to fire. Those who did have working weapons were quickly taken out by Blake's katana and cleaver leaving the unarmed for Ruby.

"Clear!" Blake shouted as the last man fell.

"I'm clear." Ruby reported out of breath.

The ice barrier fell and their teammates joined them.

_Thank you._ Yang mouthed to her partner for taking care of the armed men. Without an aura shield a stray bullet would likely kill the caped-girl.

_Don't mention it._ Blake mouthed back.

"Good work sis." Yang complimented as she ran to her sister and patted her shoulder.

Ruby shrugged at her sister's compliment.

"ARK 34 rifles' dust chambers jam easily when exposed to too much moisture and cold. That's why Atlas discontinued them."

"And probably why the White Fang were able to get a hold of them so easily." Blake remarked.

"Yeah no one's colder than the Ice Queen." Yang snorted which earned her an icy glare but also a thin smile from the heiress.

"I'm sorry I ever called your unhealthy obsession with guns crazy Ruby." Weiss quickly reloaded Myrtenaster's dust crystal and spun the cylinder.

"Enough with the lesson class." Oobleck said rather ironically. "The train is leaving."

Without a word the team raced for the train which was picking up speed down the dark tunnel.

Another barrage of bullets rained down from atop the train cars as the mist faded. Dozens of men in Grimm masks poked their rifles out and the girls ran for cover with Weiss keeping an ice glyph at the ready.

"The back!" Ruby cried as she fired her rifle for extra speed.

Bullets danced around her but the White Fang couldn't track her erratic movements. She hopped on the steps of the train with Blake and Oobleck arriving a second later to help with the heavy door.

"Hurry!" She cried to her slower teammates.

Yang discharged her gauntlets just as Weiss used a propulsion glyph and landed on top of each other in the train car just as they reached the tunnel.

Oobleck slammed the door shut and Ruby turned on her weapon's flashlight.

"Ummph, get off me Yang!" The heiress cried from underneath the blonde.

Yang blinked her red eyes seeing something familiar on the floor.

"Are those _your_ shoes Ruby?" Yang asked bewildered as she pushed herself off the flattened heiress.

The caped-girl looked down in the far corner and realized this was where she had been tied up.

"Yeah." She said not wanting to dwell on the dark room too much. She moved the light when she saw the scarlet drops on the ground.

"How are we going to stop the train?" Weiss asked getting up. "It's like a firing squad up there."

Ruby bit her lip trying to come up with a solution. They were pinned down with no where to go but forward towards the White Fang who had both cover and an army.

"Um, guys?" Blake said pointing to their left. "What's that?"

Ruby shined her flashlight in the opposite corner from where she had been laying and saw a strange box with red and yellow wires connecting it to dust crystals. In the dark Ruby hadn't been able to see it but now her eyes widened as she realized what Torchwick had been meaning by fireworks.

"Oh no…" She covered her mouth.

The team glanced over to her as Oobleck stooped down to inspect the package. He ran his hand across the box and paused.

"It's a bomb."

The air was sucked out of the moving train car and reflexively everyone held their breaths afraid the bomb could go off.

"You can't be serious!" Blake cried. "The White Fang aren't capable of something like this!"

Even as Blake said it she knew it was true. They had always been capable of this, she just never wanted to admit it.

"I'm afraid they are." Oobleck frowned. "We're heading north to the City of Vale and we'll be there soon."

"Then what are we waiting around for?" Yang said as her hair caught fire again. "Let's kick butt!"

"Um, sis?" Ruby pointed above them. "Machine gun fire remember?"

"We'll just have to take them out."

"Umm, why is the bomb ticking?" Weiss asked silencing the room.

No one moved.

"CHILDREN! MOVE TO THE NEXT CAR!" Oobleck ordered.

The team opened the hatch with Weiss taking point. She created another ice shield but moving was slow against so much gunfire. Just when their feet touched the next train car they heard something break behind them.

The train car had separated just as Ruby was about disconnect the cars with her scythe.

"Well isn't that peculiar." Oobleck noted as the train car fell back a ways. "I wonder why-"

_BOOOOOOMMM_!

Everyone shielded their eyes from the explosion that rang their ears and took their breath away. Even the machine gun fire halted as the White Fang marveled from the other side of the train. Blake grabbed her ears in pain grimacing from the loud noise.

A cavern opened up above their heads and the team could see red eyes peering down.

"Creeps." Oobleck muttered.

"You can say that again." Yang said disgusted as two legged creatures fell to the train tracks.

"No, it's called a Creep." The professor shook his head. "You four need to pay better attention in Professor Port's class."

"What are they?" She asked.

"They're Grimm with strong reptilian bodies that creep in the darkness. When the tunnel was built the huntsmen had to go and clear all of the surrounding caves and caverns. It would seem the shadows have bred more of them since sealing them off."

Oobleck paused.

"And they're leading them straight to the City of Vale…"

_RRRRRPPPTTTTAA_!

"Hey guys?" Weiss cried as she fell to her knees. "They're shooting again."

The ice shield was taking a beating and the heiress couldn't hold it much longer.

"Of course," Oobleck nodded. "Miss Belladonna, miss Xiao Long, and miss Schnee, you three go through the train cars below and get to the engine room and stop Torchwick."

"What about you two?" Yang asked suddenly worried.

"Miss Rose and I will take care of the situation up here with the White Fang and slow down the Grimm as much as possible."

"No." The blonde argued which took the professor aback. "We stick together."

"Miss Xiao Long that-"

"I'm not leaving Ruby again!" She declared.

Ruby smiled but grabbed Yang's arm.

"Go Yang," Her sister said gently. "I'd only slow you three down right now."

Yang was about to argue but Ruby threw her arms around her sister.

"I'll be fine sis. I promise."

Yang pulled her in tight and her eyes returned to lilac.

"Don't do anything stupid," She whispered. "and come back safe."

"I will. You do the same."

"Never." The blonde let go and cracked her knuckles.

Her younger sister grinned and chambered Crescent Rose.

"Can't keep this up." Weiss gasped.

"You three get going." Oobleck commanded. "We'll handle things out here."

Weiss nearly screamed as Yang and Blake pulled her down below by the shoulders into the train car. This left Ruby and Oobleck in the line of gun fire with a bomb under their feet and an army of Grimm following.

The pair moved up as the shield fell and took refuge at the next train car's back. Ruby flinched as her sister punched her way through the train car and before punching through the next. She winked with Blake following with Weiss right behind.

_They'll stop Torchwick. _She told herself. _They're the best huntresses in the world._

Ruby heard the unmistakable sound of a weapon transforming and turned to see Oobleck holding his thermos now sporting a hand grip and trigger. He turned the bottom as if it were a dial and a red glyph appeared spewing fire.

"You'll have to take care of the White Fang miss Rose. I'm afraid I won't be of much help."

"Why not?"

"They'd die." He said matter of factly.

He pointed his thermos to the hoards of Grimm and the most magnificent golden flame Ruby had ever seen shot from the thermos like a cannon completely disintegrating several.

Ruby had to shake her head to stop staring. Her silver eyes had gotten lost like a moth to a flame. She climbed the ladder and took a deep breath.

While Oobleck stood on the back of the train cars firing, Ruby poked Crescent Rose over the roof in rifle form as bullets flew over her head whipping her hair around. She changed to a non-lethal ammo clip and chambered a round. These explosive rounds would kill smaller Grimm but the dust wouldn't cause too much permanent damage to a human. Just because they were non-lethal didn't mean they didn't hurt.

Ruby pulled the trigger and her first target fell inside the train car likely with a separated shoulder.

She pulled her hood up as another fireball exploded behind her.

The caped-girl put her next target in the cross hairs and just like before when she pulled the trigger the man fell...and he fell...and he fell.

He never stopped falling until he hit the ground beside the moving train.

Ruby's eyes went wide and her body froze.

"NO!" She screamed.

The body rolled to stop in an awkward position beside the train.

Ruby climbed down reaching out as the train car was about to pass him.

"Grab my hand! Please!" She begged reaching out.

Before Ruby could jump off the train Oobleck grabbed her.

"There's nothing you can do." He said calmly. "Worry about yourself and the mission."

Tears ran down the caped-girl's face as the man disappeared underneath the claws of Grimm.

She had seen what Grimm did to people up close first hand and now she had doomed a man to the same fate as her nightmares.

Her body began shaking and she felt as though she'd vomit.

Oobleck lowered his voice. "I understand what happened to you as a child Ruby, but you have to do this."

The caped-girl's head shook violently.

"These men are trying to kill you and the City of Vale." He urged.

"I don't care!" She screamed. "They're still people!"

Ruby pushed the professor to the side jumped on the guard rail. She released her weapon's scythe and quickly reloaded to a stronger ammo clip.

"No!" He cried as he tried to grab Ruby's cape.

Her semblance activated and all Oobleck caught was a handful of rose petals.

The caped-girl soared over the heads of unsuspecting Grimm looking for the masked man before she disappeared in the dark bodies swinging her blade.

"Ruby!" Oobleck cried.

The professor pointed his weapon at the hoards but knew it was pointless. If she wasn't already dead his flames would burn her to a crisp before she had time to realize she was on fire.

When he could no longer hear the sounds of her rifle or see rose petals he hung his head and slammed his fist against the rail in rage.

Oobleck waited but nothing happened. He grimaced as he pointed his thermos as the hoard and cursed them all.

Just before he could pull the trigger a streak of red shot out of the darkness.

"Ruby!" He cried.

The caped-girl half carried half dragged the man while in one arm while she fired Crescent Rose repeatedly to gain speed and left a cloud of roses in her wake. With her hood pulled tight all Oobleck could see of her face were silver eyes.

She wasn't fast enough though. The caped-girl was barely outrunning the Grimm who were nipping at her heels. Their teeth were just barely grazing their legs.

Oobleck marveled before turning the dial on his thermos which began to glow gold. He hesitated knowing what was about to happen.

"Here's to the last rose of Summer." He toasted.

As the liquid washed down his throat Professor Oobleck could feel his mind racing and his body beginning to shake with power. The haste glyph within him turned his entire body gold. Behind his glasses his eyes illuminated the darkness.

Ruby saw a bright light headed towards her and instantly thought of her sister's gold aura and her heart leaped out of her chest.

The gold light rushed to her side and Ruby closed her eyes fearing they'd burn right out of her head just from staring at its brilliance.

A weight was lifted from Ruby's shoulder and she was afraid the White Fang member had fallen into the jaws of the Creeps. Instead the light was carrying him.

"Oobleck!" She rejoiced.

"That's Dr. Oobleck!" He cried with a pained face.

Ruby raced side by side with Oobleck. Just being next to him she could feel the energy of the haste glyph making her move faster.

It did nothing to take away the pain though.

"Almost there…" Ruby said as her fingers were just missing the ladder.

Suddenly the train car fell back and Ruby easily grabbed hold. She looked over at Oobleck confused.

"It detached!" He huffed. "We have to hurry to the next car!"

The caped-girl nodded and together they raced past the train car.

_BBBOOOOOMMMM!_

Oobleck grabbed the caped-girl shielding both her and the masked man as the explosion sent them flying.

"Umph."

Ruby yelped as her chest hit the railing and she flipped over.

"Ooww."

"You alright miss Rose?"

"I think so." She moaned. "You?"

"I've been worse." He grinned looking back at her through broken glasses.

Ruby wasn't sure about that. The golden glow was gone and now he was out of breath with smoking coming off his cloths.

"You drink dust?!" She asked amazed.

Oobleck nodded. "My aura and semblance keeps it from killing me...for now."

"For now?"

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell Dr. Heilen. I'm supposed to be on a strict no yellow dust diet."

Ruby loosened her boots as they screamed out in pain. She brushed the hair out of her eyes and looked down to see several new claw marks from the Creeps.

When she saw the masked man beside her bleeding she pulled out a roll of bandages from her belt and set to work but Oobleck stopped her.

"Here, let me do that." He said.

With her hand shaking Ruby handed them over.

"What do we do now?" She asked light headed and leaning her head against the cold steel of the train.

Oobleck looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Well we can't go backwards and we can't exactly stay here. This train car could detach any second and blow us up along with it."

"And the White Fang." She breathed. "If I shoot them they could fall off again."

Ruby looked away knowing she was the reason why they were in this position and why Oobleck was now injured, but she couldn't risk killing someone. She glanced at the masked man and wiped her eyes. Just the thought of it made her want to vomit.

Oobleck sighed. "Forgive me Ruby. I told you to take the shot and I should have known better. It's not what Sum-" He paused.

She glanced up at him.

"It's not what Ruby Rose would do."

"What would I do?" She asked honestly curious.

"Do something completely reckless that no one else in their right mind would think to do. Professor Goodwitch told me a story about you and a giant slingshot killing a Nevermore. She also tells me you're a prodigy."

There was that word again that her friends, fellow students, and teachers all had called the caped-girl at Beacon. She didn't want to be a prodigy. She wanted to be Ruby Rose. She wanted to be her mother's daughter...risking her life to save others...

"I think I can do that." She whispered.

The caped-girl chambered her rifle and pulled her hood on tight making sure the crosses were fastened tightly. She pushed herself up using Crescent Rose for leverage and her body cursed with every step on the ladder.

Step by step she climbed and when her hair poked over the roof the gunfire resumed.

Oobleck turned to the unconscious body.

"You're lucky she's her mother's daughter. I was going to leave you for dead."

The professor clutched his chest and gritted his teeth.

"Which is still a possibility." He muttered.

The caped-girl charged the masked men carrying machine guns swinging her scythe at such a speed it was a red and black blur. Behind her a cloud of roses followed. Her silver eyes shined under her hood.

Ruby roared a battle cry much like her sister's as she jumped from train car to train car spinning her blade and watching as the bullets came within inches from her face only for Crescent Rose to block them.

She never even blinked.

Before Ruby had seemed so small and helpless to the men in masks but now the White Fang had fear in their hearts as the huntress with a six foot scythe got closer.

The caped-girl swung her weapon and batted the masked men away cautiously aware of where they were standing. Ruby couldn't let a single one fall again. She wouldn't let a single one die.

Rose petals obscured their vision and all they could see was red and hear the roars of the girl and her rifle.

They all fell by her blade and she made sure not a single one fell of the train. Most didn't even feel it as the back of her blade hit their heads.

At last the caped-girl stood victorious and dropped to her knees exhausted as rose petals blew off the train. Sweat poured off her face and her body began to slump. Crescent Rose found its blade embedded in the steel and she rested her head against it and began dry heaving.

Her entire body began to shake and she closed her eyes to keep the tears in.

"She should have never come to the city Ozpin." Oobleck mumbled having watched the entire thing. "She isn't one of your chess pieces."

The professor climbed the ladder and joined Ruby and tossed the masked man now wrapped in bandages to the side.

He bent down. "Well done Ruby."

The caped-girl never lifted her head as she was too exhausted. She had finally hit her limit but it had been under her terms.

_Boooommm!_

Ruby's eyes shot open as another train car exploded.

Light trickled down from the ceiling and Ruby could see lush green above. They were getting closer to the city and it's destruction.

Beowolves and Ursa from above joined the Creeps in the darkness. She couldn't see an end to the legion of Grimm.

She closed her eyes again taking a deep breath.

"They'll stop the train." Ruby whispered clutching her cross necklace. "They will..."

"Stay safe Yang..."

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed. Sorry for the slight delay but it could not be helped. I think Ruby risking her life to save an enemy is completely in character especially if it involves Grimm. It also takes her out of the fight and now has to completely rely on her teammates to finish the job which I like. I had thought about adding the Paladins to the fight but decided against it. Even if the operators aren't as good as Torchwick it would devalue them. Team RWBY has enough to contend with and they were just glorified bulldozers. I'm not sure why but it made me laugh to think Perry is simply a title Torchwick gives to someone so he'll remember their name. It seems in character. ****I will do my best to get chapters out in a timely manner but please bare with me. The coming chapters will likely be a little late so all prayers are welcomed. Once again thank you for reading and all of the support you all have given me. I love writing for you all. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless)**


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Beware that the Light is Fading

* * *

Weiss and Blake followed their blonde teammate as she plowed through train car after train car with nothing but her fists. Each one they entered had a bomb located in the top left hand corner so Yang focused her efforts running on the opposite side.

Both girls were terrified that Yang's power and recklessness would set a bomb off but so far the only explosions had come from Ember Celica and from the train cars in the back.

Just to be safe though they gave her a wide berth.

As Yang ran into another train car she came to a halt and Weiss not paying attention ran into her.

"Hey!" The heiress snapped. "Watch it!"

The blonde held up her hand and Blake froze.

Weiss' eyes took a moment to adjust to the bright lights and noticed a door laying on the ground meaning they had finally made it to the main cargo holds. She sighed as cool air hit her pale skin making her shiver slightly.

Her breath caught when she noticed why her teammates had stopped so abruptly.

In the middle of the room was a mechanical spider propped up with boxes with its cannons pointed at them.

"_Intruder, halt."_

The mechanical voice gave Blake the feeling of deja vu.

"What is that?" Yang asked turning her head. "Looks like a metal cockroach."

"It's an Atlesian Arachnid." Weiss explained. "The company uses them to protect our cargo."

"Doing a bang up job." Yang remarked noticing the painted on White Fang logo on its side.

_So they got it working again._ Blake mused remembering what she and Adam had done to it. _Looks like it's seen better days._

Indeed, the spider seemed to have been put back together with half its legs missing and only one eye sensor left. It also seemed to be missing half of its torso and underbelly.

Despite that however two of its cannons were pointed directly at them and it seemed someone had also added a Paladin's rocket launcher to its arsenal.

Red dots appeared on their chests making them grimace.

Yang tried to back her teammates away from certain death but she was interrupted by a nervous voice.

"D-don't move!" Said a male from behind the machine.

For the first time the team noticed six members of the White Fang cowering behind the robot carrying wrenches, hammers, and even brooms as weapons. Clearly everyone with guns had gone up above to shoot at Ruby while these men were left behind. Blake could practically hear his knees shaking.

Yang raised her fists as Blake slowly unsheathed her katana.

The faunus was prepared to finish the job she had started months ago.

Weiss however raised her chin and took a step forward.

"What are you doing?" Yang hissed trying to block her.

She ducked under the blonde's thick arms and all three red dots appeared on her chest.

"_Intruder, halt. Identify yourself."_

The heiress cleared her throat.

"Weiss Schnee," She said in a commanding tone. "along with my friend Blake Belladonna and acquaintance Yang Xiao Long."

The machine stared at her with its unblinking red eye.

Both girls behind her held their breath as a soft hum filled the tiny room. Just as Yang was about to strike the red dots disappeared from Weiss' jacket and the machine powered down.

Weiss stood looking smug while the White Fang stared in horror as their weapon disobeyed and her teammates were awestruck. Yang lowered her fists and Blake sheathed her weapon.

Yang shook her head to make sure she had seen that correctly.

"How-?"

"Did you do that?" Blake finished.

Weiss turned around wearing a proud smile.

"We're riding a Schnee transport vehicle and that robot was built by none other than the Schnee Dust Company. You don't think we'd install some safety protocols did you? I'll have you know that not shooting the heiress to the company is at the top of its priorities."

The White Fang's ears perked up as they recognized the SDC logo on the back of Weiss' jacket and realized what she had just said. A Schnee was standing right there with her back turned towards them.

They glanced at each other and nodded. They'd never get an opportunity like this again. The lieutenant had been promoted for supposedly killing a Schnee, maybe they'd get the same respect.

The heiress bowed to the thunderous applause in her mind not seeing the weapons raised behind her.

"Weiss look out!" Blake cried as the White Fang attacked.

Without even opening her eyes the heiress flicked her wrist and an ice glyph appeared before their feet causing them to slip and fall. With another hand motion the masked men were sent flying to the other side of the car hitting the cold steel.

"Ouch." Yang winced. "That hurt."

Weiss stood up straight with her face beaming.

"You've been hanging out with my sister too long." Yang noted.

She shrugged but was nearly knocked off her feet by a _light _jab in the shoulder by the blonde.

"What was that for!?" She demanded rubbing her injury.

"For calling me your acquaintance." She answered.

Weiss narrowed her eyes but seemed to accept the answer.

"Come on." Blake grumbled shoving past the two. "We're not done yet."

Weiss peeked over at the fallen thieves and smiled. It felt good to get some justice for her family.

"That's for stealing _my_ train."

Yang slid the door open to the next car breaking the glass window and causing Weiss to jump.

"Oops." The blonde chuckled. "My bad."

Before Weiss could scold her Blake's nose twitched and she glanced at her teammates.

"Why does it smell like strawberry ice cream in there?"

They took a whiff of the air before stepping inside.

"I think you need to have your nose checked Blake," Weiss said. "that's definitely vanilla."

They turned their heads confused.

"Now its chocolate?" They asked.

Something didn't seem right.

Yang pointed at a poster hanging on the far wall with knives embedded in a woman's face as if it were a dartboard.

"I'm wondering more what that woman did to deserve that."

"Looks like they were on fire." Weiss squinted but couldn't tell who the woman was. All she could see was dark hair on a distorted and burned face.

Blake glanced down and noticed a red stain on the tile floor she recognized instantly as blood.

"Whoever did this is one sick puppy." She observed and the others agreed.

_*crunch*_

The girls raised their weapons hearing the sound of glass being broken under foot. From behind a small crate an equally as small woman carrying an umbrella stepped into view.

Yang let out a low growl as she recognized the mismatched hair and umbrella. Her pink hair parted on the right side and had a white streak while the left was brown. In the darkness under the overpass she hadn't noticed but the woman's eyes were as her hair but the left eye was pink and the right brown.

It gave Weiss a headache just looking.

She looked between the girls and looked as though she were trying to contain a smile.

The blonde reloaded her weapons but the small woman simply twirled her umbrella as if this were a picnic on a sunny day.

"Let's take her." Weiss whispered to her teammates.

Slowly she began to spin Myrtenaster's cylinder to the white dust crystal.

The mystery woman with mismatched eyes shook her head and raised two fingers. She pointed to the door behind her and raised two fingers again then she lowered one and pointed to the bloodstain.

"We don't have time for charades!" Yang snapped as her hair began to spark. "Just tell us what you want!"

The woman smiled as if this idea amused her. She repeated her actions but more slowly this time and with a condescending look on her face.

"I think," Weiss swallowed. "that she's saying two of us can go but someone has to stay behind."

The umbrella woman clapped politely but didn't seem impressed by the heiress.

"Let's just take her on all at once." Yang suggested.

The woman shook her head and pointed to the ground with one finger.

"We don't have much of a choice." Blake breathed. "We're running out of time."

Both girls nodded in agreement but stood in their place. Despite the fact the woman had the element of surprise on them she confronted all three girls at once. Clearly she believed she could beat them.

"Your name's Neo right?" The faunus asked.

She closed her eyes and took a bow as if she were on a stage. When she reopened them her eyes had swapped colors.

"Show off..." Weiss muttered.

"So if we leave one person here Neo," Blake continued. "you'll let the other two go?"

She nodded and a smile curled on her lips unsettling both Blake and Weiss.

The blonde stepped forward cracking her knuckles.

"You guys go on ahead." Yang commanded. "I'll catch up."

The pair blinked looking up at her.

"You sure?" Blake asked her partner glancing at the bloodstain on the floor.

She nodded. "I've got some unfinished business and something I'd like to ask."

Blake glanced at Weiss unsure if this was a wise decision.

_If anyone can handle herself it's Yang. _Weiss' weary eyes said.

She was trying to convince herself just as much as Blake.

Yang was the most powerful member of the team and nearly invulnerable when her semblance was active. Blake and Weiss had seen the blonde kill an Ursa Major and destroy an Paladin with her fists, but something about the mismatched eyes of Neo disturbed them.

Something else worried them though. Leaving Yang behind would also mean Weiss and Blake would be without the strongest members of their team.

_We'll be fine. _Her eyes said again.

They didn't have much of a choice.

Blake nodded and together with Weiss circled around the short woman keeping their weapons up and never putting themselves in a vulnerable position. A part of Blake wanted to attack while Neo's back was turned and surrounded. If it meant stopping the White Fang then she was willing to disregard her huntress pride and honor.

All that mattered was stopping them.

Weiss glanced over and shook her head reading the faunus' mind.

_No. _She mouthed. _She want's you to do it._

Blake looked over at Neo and could feel the aura coming off of her and pushed the thought of a sneak attack away remembering what Weiss had done to the men in the room prior. She wouldn't be any better than them and Neo was bating her. Attacking suddenly felt much less appealing.

She quickened her pace making it to the door just as Weiss was pushing it aside with sweaty palms. Both girls were breathing heavy as the train car began to be filled with violent aura. Yang's felt much like a burning sun in summer while Neo's felt disorderly and twisted but just as violent if not more.

Without even turning her head Neo could feel their anxiety and relished every second of it. Her delicate fingers wrapped around her umbrella as if petting it.

Blake stole a final glance back at her partner.

_Be careful. _

Yang nodded. _I will._

The faunus turned and fled the room with Weiss by her side.

That left Yang alone to deal with Neo.

The blonde sized up her opponent and wasn't impressed. Neo's head didn't even reach her chin and Yang was sure one well placed punch could break her jaw if not her entire skull.

First though she needed answers and Neo couldn't answer if her jaw was wired shut.

"A few days ago a woman in a Beowolf mask attacked the CCT and my sister. Tell me who she is and this doesn't have to get ugly."

Neo smiled and brought her fingers to her mouth as if to zip it shut.

_My lips are sealed. _She seemed to say.

"I'll just have to beat it out of you." The blonde slammed her fists together causing sparks behind her.

Neo winked and twirled her umbrella.

Yang roared and charged the much smaller woman. Neo leaned back to dodge an uppercut and danced through Yang's fists with ease. She back flipped out of the way and Yang corralled her into a corner. She didn't care if she threw a hundred punches and ninety-nine missed. All she needed was one to end a fight.

The mismatched eyes turned red just a moment before the uppercut hit her rolled up umbrella. Yang gritted her teeth from the sheer force the short woman had brought down on her arm. No matter how much aura the blonde used Neo seemed to match it.

Neo's eyes turned white and the umbrella raised up hitting Yang squarely across the chin and was swatted across the room landing on her back.

Yang got to her feet quickly holding her jaw and burned crimson eyes into the now mismatched ones of Neo.

The blonde discharged her weapons and rocketed towards the woman but Neo merely leaned back and caught Yang in the side of the head with the umbrella before sending her sprawling on the floor.

_What the heck? Yang _thought in a daze as she stared at the ceiling. _My aura barely did a thing to stop her. Where is that pipsqueak hiding those muscles?_

Yang got back to her feet more gingerly this time and saw Neo walking back and forth on a small crack in the tile as if she were on a balance beam twirling her umbrella for show. When her routine was over she bowed again. Suddenly the flips and moves she had done made more sense to the blonde. Neo was some sort of acrobat.

"This isn't the circus you know."

Neo's took a deep breath and drew a small thin blade from the handle of her umbrella. She gave a sick, twisted smile as her eyes glowed white again.

"Anyone ever tell you you're insane?" Yang joked hiding the fact that sweat was running down her brow

Neo nodded gleefully and put the blade to her throat mimicking someone having their throat slit.

Yang got the message loud and clear. She needed a plan before the same was done to her.

The blonde wasn't good at plans, that was her sister's talent. Yang wanted to punch things until they stopped moving. Normally Yang wouldn't mind getting hit and actually thrived on it in battle due to her semblance, but if a simple umbrella could go through her aura then she had no doubt that Neo's blade could do even better.

Yang circled her target looking for an opening to strike. Her jaw still was stinging from where she'd been hit reminding her of the boxing matches with her father...

She paused as that's exactly what it felt like.

Suddenly Neo's eyes changing color made some sense to her. At least them changing to red did.

"If you're going to steal my aura the least you could do is buy a girl dinner first." She remarked with a crooked grin.

From Neo's surprised face Yang knew she had guessed correctly. It hadn't been the umbrella that cut through Yang's aura, it had been Yang.

All those years of training with her father and matches with Ren were paying off.

The mismatched eyes swapped colors again and Neo smirked. She twirled the little blade in her fingers causing Yang to put up her guard. She remembered the throwing knives embedded in the poster.

Yang felt as though the short woman was taunting her with the blade. It was like she was saying, _I don't care if you know my little trick, I'll still gut you._

She half believed her.

The blonde charged again but this time she let Neo do her flips and dodge all she wanted. She still didn't quite understand what Neo's power was but knew enough about aura manipulation to know it wasn't her semblance.

She was now grateful for all the times Professor Goodwitch had matched her up with Ren. He was an expert at aura manipulation and had used her own aura against her more than once but nothing had ever come close to feeling like this though. Yang knew the trick but she also knew she needed to end this fast and get her semblance into the fight.

Yang threw another flurry of punches but left her side exposed on purpose and waited until she saw Neo's eyes flash white.

The umbrella came crashing down on Yang's shoulder causing her to grimace and gasp.

She coiled her arm around the umbrella while deflecting Neo's blade with her gauntlets.

"Bad move." Yang growled as she headbutted the woman sending her across the room.

A fire sparked in the blonde's mane as she felt her semblance activate again. She had gone so long without fuel being added to the fire that it had begun to dwindle down.

Neo got to her feet wiping the trickle of blood from her brow. The look in her eyes was absolutely murderous.

Yang unceremoniously tossed the umbrella to the side happy to be rid of it.

"Sorry, was that important to you?"

Neo lunged for the blonde's throat and for the first time Yang was on the defensive. She couldn't throw a single punch with the woman moving so fast as she would be left completely open. With her higher center of gravity Yang had to keep her gauntlets low and ended up taking a boot to the head.

The acrobat ducked under another fist trying to cut Yang's throat but the blonde spun around and the knife caught a lock of hair.

Yang's semblance flared as she realized what had happened before she even turned around but the second her eyes caught Neo she received another boot for her trouble. Yang didn't even have time to register the hit as Neo tried to drive the blade into her heart.

Inches from her chest Yang grabbed the sharp blade surprising the woman.

Yang gritted her teeth as her knuckles turned white and blood ran down her hand dripping on the floor. She placed another hand around Neo's wrist but the short woman wouldn't budge. Yang was using all of her aura just to keep her fingers from being cut to pieces.

The blonde felt a small flicker in her hair and grinned despite the curses going through her mind as they were caught on the back of her throat.

Yang's body became engulfed in flames as her semblance was taking over with rage. Neo's eyes turned red and Yang could feel her own power working against her but it didn't matter. Neo may have been able to manipulate some of her aura but Yang knew no one could ever harness her semblance.

Neo frowned when she saw Yang pull her fist back.

The blonde was beginning to be more trouble than she was worth.

With a loud roar Yang slammed Ember Celica into Neo's face who flew across the room in a cloud of red dust.

The dagger dropped from the blonde's grasp covered in her own blood as she fell to her knees. She glanced down at the deep gashes in her skin but paid it little mind.

The pain just made her mad.

Neo got back to her feet as if on autopilot and bore holes into the blonde. She was breathing deeply and had a burn across her face. Blood dripped from her brow to her chin and onto the tile.

Her lip snarled and eyes narrowed.

Yang stood back up knowing what that look meant. This wouldn't end until one of them was dead.

"Come on!" Yang shouted.

They both charged and exchanged blows. Yang clipped Neo's shoulder while Neo hit her with the same force through her aura with a kick. Yang didn't care if Neo was using her own powers against her. She just wanted to punch something.

Finally Yang saw an opening and punched the short woman in the jaw as hard as possible discharging her weapon in the process.

Neo didn't move however. She planted her feet and her mouth opened as if she were silently screaming.

Her eyes turned completely crimson matching Yang's before turning back to white.

Neo brought her own fist to Yang's chin and the pair stood unleashing their full auras waiting for the other one to blink.

The train car became engulfed in flames and both girls were thrown across the room with such force the tile floor was ripped apart and the doors blew out.

Both hit their heads on opposite walls and left impressions as they hit the ground.

Neo's fingers twitched and a moment later pushed herself up with a shaky hand and looked up to see the blonde laying still.

She crawled to her knife and while holding her jaw tightly. When she reached her weapon Neo couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of the blonde's warm blood on her fingers. She smiled looking over at the unconscious girl. She got to her knees and brought the knife inches from Yang's face.

Neo looked to the side and saw her reflection in a broken mirror.

She raise the knife into the air smiling ear to ear.

_Wwooosssh!_

Neo spun around hearing the sound of wings beating as a crimson light filled the room and every shadow began pointing towards her.

Black feathers appeared and a feminine figure in tattered red clothes stepped out of the darkness as Neo backed away from the fallen girl.

_No, no. _She mouthed shaking her head as malice and wrath radiated off the intruder.

Like the White Fang the woman wore a Grimm mask, this of a Nevermore. In her hand was a massive blade resembling a katana but twice the size of its wielder.

Neo charged with her knife but the katana ran right through her chest shattering her into millions of pieces.

Tiny fragments of a mirror landed on the ground all staring back at the woman.

The Nevermore growled and turned around to see Neo grabbing her umbrella and a small box laying on a shelf.

The mismatched woman froze as she realized her illusion had no effect on the Nevermore who took a step towards her. The tile beneath Neo's feet shattered and she dropped down with her umbrella over her shoulder with the look of terror on her face.

The Nevermore sheathed her weapon and took a long glance at the blonde who was beginning to push herself up with her elbows.

"I had that under control." Yang growled staring back at her.

The Nevermore hissed and stepped back into the red light it had appeared from.

A feather floated down to Yang's face who blew it away.

Yang got to her feet using the help of the wall. She was out of breath and physically drained but could feel her semblance returning to normal. She no longer felt the uncontrollable rage she'd been overcome by.

Taking deep breaths she willed her semblance to calm down so she didn't waste any aura. Normally she would have let it all burn up but she knew her team might need it for later. Once she felt the fire under control she opened her lilac eyes to where the Nevermore had been standing.

"Raven..."

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. I changed this fight up quite a bit and took some liberties with Neo's powers but I hope you don't mind. I still wanted to convey that Neo is a more skilled fighter and a bad match up for Yang but it's entirely up to you whether Yang was playing opossum or not at the end of the fight. The real winner is unclear but Yang put up a good fight. I'll leave speculation about who Raven is up to you. I have my own ideas but I'll keep them to myself for now. Once again thank you for all of the support you all have given me and for being patient for the slight delay. I love writing for all of you. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless)**


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Ice Queen

* * *

Blake closed the train door effectively turning her back on her partner. Weiss stood beside her looking paler than usual.

They had just left their best friend to deal with a psychopath.

"Yang can take care of herself." Weiss said wiping the sweat from her brow. "She's the best."

Blake focused her eyes on the next train car and on their mission.

Her mission...

She swallowed. "Let's keep moving."

Weiss followed behind as the faunus took off.

Blake couldn't dwell on her partner at a time like this just like how Weiss couldn't worry about Ruby up above. They had a train to stop and a city to save.

"Twelve more cars." Weiss breathed as the pair ran through another bare room.

"How can you possibly know that?" The faunus inquired.

Weiss shined a lopsided grin as if she couldn't decide whether to be amused or bitter.

"Because I happen to know how many train cars the White Fang stole from me."

Blake's feet felt as though they were made of lead and the heiress caught up to run along side her.

"Oh…" Was all Blake could manage.

Guilt bubbled in the faunus' chest and suddenly felt nauseous.

This had been the end game the White Fang had been planning all along. Roman Torchwick hadn't been the one to send the her people to the point of no return. They had chosen this path long ago and Blake had unwittingly helped in giving them the keys to destroying the City of Vale.

She had come to love that city as if it had always been her's. Ozpin may have given her a place to sleep and a future but her friends had given her something she had never truly had, a family and a home.

And she had made her friend suffer.

"I need to tell you something Weiss." Her conscious spoke aloud.

"Uh, we're kind of in the middle of something." The heiress pointed out. "Can it wait?"

Blake shook her head but never stopped moving.

"It's about the train."

Weiss glanced over raising her brow.

Blake couldn't help but notice the scarred eye caused by a faunus in the girl's youth.

She took a deep breath barely watching where they were going.

"About eight months ago my partner Adam and I-"

The heiress came to a stop and grabbed Blake's shirt stopping her momentum.

In a single fluid motion the heiress had Myrtenaster in her hand and chambered a cylinder.

"Weiss!?" Blake panicked upon seeing the rapier.

"Your little guilt trip is going to have to wait." Weiss took a step back pulling her teammate with her.

_*THUMP, THUMP*_

The tile beneath their feet shook.

Blake's eyes widened when body entered the hall between rooms blocking the entire doorway. If it hadn't been for Weiss she would have ran right into him.

_*THUMP, THUMP*_

They craned their necks as a giant entered the room having to duck his head as he did so.

He had to be over seven feet tall.

"We have a problem." Weiss whispered from the side of her mouth.

"A _big_ problem." Blake agreed as she drew her katana.

_*THUMP, THUMP*_

Weiss' mouth fell open as she noticed how the man's tattooed arms resembled tree trunks rather than human limbs and how his legs were thicker than her entire body.

Covering his entire face was a mask resembling an Ursa Major and Weiss couldn't help but remember the Beowolf woman Ruby had described. To wear the face of a Grimm was unthinkable to the heiress but seemed like yesterday for Blake.

A huge chest piece with a White Fang symbol rested against his heart. The armor must have weighed at least a hundred pounds but the man didn't seem to notice.

Hung across his broad shoulders was a chainsaw longer than they were tall and both girls held their breaths as they noticed the scarlet stains on the blade. They couldn't help but feel pity for whoever's blood it had belonged to.

_No doubt a human. _Weiss thought spitefully.

His heavy boots came to a stop and eyes rested on the top of Blake's head.

Always self-conscious about hiding her cat ears she reached up and made sure her black bow was still in place.

The giant cleared his throat and despite his size and ferocious mask he spoke with eloquence and an Atlesian accent to Weiss' chagrin.

"I remember you," He said to Blake who stiffened. "you were with that monkey faunus at the recruitment station."

Blake sighed with relief despite her body being on edge and her knees feeling weak. She had been afraid he might remember the young girl with cat ears who had once worn a Grimm mask of her own free will.

"You should have taken us up on our offer miss. The White Fang could use more recruits like you."

_Been there done that. _Blake retorted in her mind.

His eyes focused on the heiress who shifted her weight nervously but held her blade firmly.

"Though it would appear you've brought a Schnee along for me to kill. Perhaps you haven't forgotten your heritage after all."

Blake's eyes narrowed as she assumed an attack stance in front of Weiss. If he wanted to kill her friend he'd have to go through her first.

A cold hand rested gently on her shoulder pulling her back.

"Weiss-"

"Let me take care of this." The heiress said confidently despite her sword hand shaking slightly. "You keep moving and stop Torchwick."

Before Blake could argue the giant interrupted speaking as eloquently as ever.

"You may continue on your mission young miss. I do not wish to kill a fellow faunus no matter how misguided."

He pointed an over sized sausage of a finger at the girl in white.

"The Schnee filth stays here however."

His hand glided across his blade and over the red stains. He was showing them what the heiress' future held in store for her.

Blake snarled but once again Weiss grabbed her.

"You heard him," She said pushing the katana away. "now get going."

"Weiss!"

"Go." She said more forcefully as she spun Myrtenaster's chamber. "You have your score to settle and so do I."

Blake noticed her hand was no longer shaking and girl's demeanor had completely changed.

There was ice in her eyes and Blake could feel the temperature of the room dropping.

"No one insults the Schnee name and gets away with it."

Blake had seen the pleasure Weiss had taken when knocking out members of the White Fang. It was retribution for everything they had done to her since she was a little girl too young to know why her family kept dying.

But Blake had also seen the joy on the faces of the White Fang whenever misfortune fell upon her family. The death of a Schnee was regarded as a holiday to them and celebrated.

She needed to talk Weiss out of this. Ruby was injured and dealing with the firing squad above their heads so they'd have a clear path. Yang had stayed behind battling Neo, and now Weiss was going to fight a monster one on one.

Blake felt as though she was running away from her friends all over again. She could no longer hide the fact that leaving Yang behind scared her and she'd had been looking over her shoulder while she was gone.

"Weiss, he's a lieutenant and you're-" Her voice caught in the back of her throat.

"I'm what?" She challenged raising her voice.

The heiress chambered a red dust crystal and put her left foot forward.

Myrtenaster erupted in flames but seemed to suck all the heat out of the room.

Blake glanced at the giant who was glaring at the Schnee in contempt. She could see animal like eyes through his mask. It was as if they were hungry.

It was a matter of pride for the both of them and a culmination of wars that predated even the White Fang and the Schnee Dust Company.

She turned to her teammate who was holding her ground, fearless in her resolve.

"You're the best fencer at Beacon." Blake finished.

"Of course I am." Weiss huffed as if she were stating the obvious. "Now hurry up and go."

Blake lowered her weapon and nodded.

"Good luck."

"That will not be necessary but thank you. I'll be joining you in a few minutes after I finish this."

"I'll be waiting."

"Hmph, you better not be."

Blake sped past the brute using a shadow jump but true to his word he didn't even acknowledge her.

She turned for one final glance at the heiress but the lieutenant unloaded the chainsaw from his shoulders and let it hand loosely in his hand blocking her view.

_What have I done?_ She asked herself but continued forward with her mission.

One person's face kept appearing in her mind.

_Torchwick... _

And she was gone.

The giant cleared his voice again once his fellow faunus was out of ear shot.

"I have looked forward to killing another Schnee. I just regret it has to be one so young."

Weiss blinked.

"_Another_?" She asked calmly as if they were speaking about the weather.

He chuckled at the lack of a reaction. He had expected nothing less from a family so cold and heartless.

"You really should be thanking me miss. The White Fang may wear the masks but the Schnee are the real monsters of this world."

The southpaw had a death grip on her rapier as her insides churned.

Weiss didn't know if he was telling the truth about killing her family but it didn't matter. He was a member of the White Fang and her family's blood was on their hands.

Atlas was a cold kingdom and the weather made no exception for the death of a Schnee. She could still remember being a little girl freezing in the bitter cold wearing a black veil so she could cry without being seen. To a Schnee it was a sign of weakness.

He would regret ever taking credit for taking her family away from her.

Every single one of them would pay...

The heiress charged forward with a flaming rapier in her hands and a propulsion glyph at her feet. In the blink of an eye she was upon him and the flames coming off her weapon were contrary to the ice in her eyes.

She ducked under the chainsaw as it cut through the air with ease. After sparring with Ruby a six foot long chainsaw didn't seem all that impressive compared to Crescent Rose and the caped-girl's incredible speed.

That changed when he pulled the cord to his weapon and the engine revved up.

Her arms became covered in goosebumps from the eerie sound resonating from the chainsaw. It reminded her of a woman wailing and made it difficult to concentrate as her entire body was shuddering.

The brute swung his weapon around at a speed Weiss thought impossible for a man his size. She pulled her rapier back to block the blow and instantly sparks shot across the room. Despite the extra power of the red dust around her weapon her entire body rattled as was sent flying.

She landed gracefully on her feet but gritted her teeth remembering he was a faunus and not just a regular human. He had animal like reflexes and even though she couldn't see any faunus traits it seemed he had the strength to match his Ursa Major mask.

At least now she knew what she was in store for.

The heiress took note of his stance and was immediately disgusted by how sloppy it was. His feet were spread too far apart and the chainsaw in outstretched arms pointed towards the ceiling. He was trying to appear large and intimidating but all the heiress saw was just another amateur.

She took a deep breath and activated a gold glyph at her feet. Time slowed down for the heiress and she could now see all the imperfections to his stance and every flaw she could exploit.

Seeing the faults in others came easily to Weiss, especially when looking in a mirror.

"A haste glyph!" The giant boomed. "Who would have expected something so refined and elegant from one so obscene. I have to wonder though, how long you can keep up such a powerful glyph. Looks like you're already-"

Before his sentence could be finished the heiress was under his guard and drove a flurry of flaming jabs into his thick armored chest.

The force knocked him across the room with his armor smoking but he never left his feet.

Weiss dodged as he swung his chainsaw from across the room but the faunus was able to keep up with her swift moves. She raised her rapier and bit her tongue to keep her mouth silent as her entire body shook from a blow.

She activated a black gravity glyph as her heels began to slide on the tile.

With her eyes glowing gold she could see how his entire body began to tense up and muscles contract. She could see him begin to exhale.

The glyph dissipated as he swung his chainsaw around for another assault attempting to behead her. Weiss ducked under the roaring weapon and didn't even blink as it missed her chin by a hair.

She parried the blow slashing and stabbing at his thick chest piece each strike came faster than the last.

The chainsaw shot forward in an attempt to stop her but she easily misdirected the attack to the side and caught him under his chin taking a piece out of his mask in the process.

She could see a bloody lip snarl.

With the flick of her wrist black glyphs appeared all around the giant. He roared swinging his chainsaw in a blind rage but the heiress jumped into the air being caught by a glyph that turned gold by her touch.

_Compliments to Ruby. _Weiss thought as she chambered her weapon again this time to a light blue dust crystal.

Myrtenaster was pointed towards the White Fang symbol on his chest when she flicked her wrist again and rocketed straight down.

Her heart nearly stopped when his bare hand grabbed Myrtenaster and became covered in ice. She tried to pull it back but it wouldn't budge.

The room began to spin as the haste glyph ended.

"Time's up Schnee." He announced.

He let go of Myrtenaster crushing the ice only to grab her by the ponytail and lift her into the air as if she were a doll.

"AAAAHHHHH!" She screamed in agony as her scalp felt as though it would tear.

She kicked her legs and slashed at the giant but he shrugged off the feeble assault while she continued to cry out in pain.

Her eyes went wide as she felt a sudden rush of air. Without warning he slammed her head into the tile leaving a small crater.

Everything went dark for the heiress.

The lieutenant raiser her back in the air and her arm twitched as she tried to raise Myrtenaster again.

"Scum..."

He threw her into the steel wall where her body slumped to the ground and curled into a ball.

The chainsaw revved in victory and the giant laughed at the broken body caused by his own hands.

_*cough*_

He stopped and lowered his weapon. Surly she couldn't be alive?

_*cough*_

Weiss' eyes flickered open but they quickly shut again when she felt bile rise.

She wasn't sure how she was conscious and wasn't entirely thankful. It felt as though her head had been split in two just like the rest of her body. She felt something warm and sticky on her face and reached up to wipe it off. She pulled her hand back to see it was covered in scarlet.

Using her elbows she tried to lift herself before collapsing and hiding her head under her arms.

She heard the giant take a step and her eyes shot open on instinct. Myrtenaster was still in her hand and she stared daggers into the Ursa towering above.

He chuckled and began to clap politely.

Using her rapier for leverage she got to one knee and leaned against the wall so as not to fall over.

She would not lay on the ground and be mocked. Her legacy was as a Schnee and once upon a time they ruled kingdoms.

"That should have broken your skull," He clicked his tongue. "a pity that."

Blood dripped in her good eye making it difficult to see.

"My partner." Her voice was caught on the back of her throat but she carried on. "She tells me I have a very thick skull."

Every word dripped with venom just as her blood dripped to the floor.

"That you do!" He howled. "But tell me, did you really think such a pathetic weapon could harm me?"

She gripped her rapier with all her might.

"Don't ever insult Myrtenaster." She snapped.

He chuckled again.

"Fond of your weapon are you? Did daddy dearest buy it for you?"

Weiss stared down at the beloved weapon her grandfather had given her. Upon seeing a reflection in the blade she turned her head to see she was bleeding above the hairline over her right eye.

The color red reminded her of someone and the pain became little more than an annoyance.

She held up her hand to her face and with a small ice glyph she momentarily closed the wound. Being the team's unofficial medic had advantages at times.

"It's not the weapon." Weiss muttered under haggard breath.

"What was that? You'll have to speak up."

"It's not the weapon that makes a huntress." She spat. "Weapons are extensions of ourselves. A friend told me that and she's the toughest huntress I know."

He turned his head finding the remark humorous.

"So you are saying the reason why your weapon is pathetic is because you yourself are pathetic?"

She shook her head in disgust and stood up on shaky legs. Her right knee threatened to buckle but her resolve was too great.

"It means Myrtenaster is just as cold as I am."

She chambered a white dust crystal and immediately frost appeared on the tip of her blade.

Their breath turned to fog in the air as the entire room began to freeze.

The tile floor became covered in a layer of ice and the room began to snow.

Weiss' vision went blurry for a moment and knew this had to end fast. She didn't have the aura like her teammates and she wasn't sure how much longer she could stand on her feet.

_Remember everything they've done to you. _

She flicked her wrist and the calm snow fall became a howling blizzard and the girl in white disappeared.

He growled and raised his weapon.

"There is no point in hiding!" He yelled over the storm. "I can smell your filthy rich stench and hear your priceless heels!"

The lieutenant readied his chainsaw to impale the girl standing to his left.

"I'm not hiding." Her voice whispered over the blizzard.

Sparks fell to the floor as their weapons clashed again. The giant chuckled as he tried to push the heiress back only for the cold wind to burn his uncovered arms.

He grabbed his weapon with both hands but the dust infused rapier still wasn't moving. He tried to take a step for more leverage but it was as if his feet had fallen asleep.

The giant glanced down and saw they were frozen to the floor in a shell of ice and his heart quickened seeing it rising to up his legs.

He could no longer hear the screeching of his chainsaw and could feel it beginning to slow.

"Wh-what's ha-ha-happening?" His teeth chattered. "S-so co-ld."

The outline of the heiress appeared in the ice and he could see her blue eyes staring up at him.

"This blizzard is how I feel." She answered.

The chainsaw began to crack and with horror the giant could see the frosted point of Myrtenaster poking through his blade.

He barely had time to gasp before the rapier ran straight through his weapon and right into his armor.

Right where the red White Fang logo was.

Scarlet leaked out of the armor and froze onto the blade. A red droplet hit the floor and shattered into tiny pieces.

"Ever since I was a little girl I had to watch as my family was lowered into the ground because of men like you."

Weiss twisted her blade making him cry out.

"You made me into who I am, and I'll never be able to forgive you for it."

She removed her rapier and took a step back as the giant began to fall. The entire room shook as he landed on his back and he clutched his chest.

The giant coughed and Weiss could see speckles of blood covering the mouth holes of the Ursa.

She slashed the bottom of his mask away and saw part of his lip was missing from her earlier attack. Before she could remove the rest of the mask she stopped herself. He was a monster and he deserved to look like one.

"HAHAHAHA!" The lieutenant bellowed as blood ran between his fingers.

Weiss narrowed her eyes wondering if he'd lost his mind.

"Think dying is funny do you?"

_*cough*_

He wiped the blood off his lips.

"No, but you thinking this will stop me does." He removed the hand from his chest and grinned.

"I'll be repaying you and your family for this someday. Your father and sister will look good with holes in their chests."

_*cough*_

The lieutenant could feel his lips turning blue and lost the feeling in his arms as the temperature plummeted. In all his years in Atlas he had never felt such a bitter chill.

A single tear froze to Weiss' cheek which she wiped away in a hurry.

"What makes you think there'll be a _someday?_"

The laughter stopped but his red grin never left.

"Daddy's perfect little princess wants to play huntress does she?" He shook his head. "I think I'll keep the scars as a way to remember you. I won't mistake your weakness for kindness though."

The hand she held Myrtenaster in began to shake.

Weiss drew her white sleeve across her left eye removing the make-up so the scarred eye could clearly be seen.

She bent down to give him a closer look at what she'd been hiding most of her life.

This was her reminder every time she looked in the mirror. It had been a faunus' way of showing _kindness _instead of killing her.

"I'm not perfect and I'm not a princess. I'll never be any of these things and it's because of you."

She frowned knowing exactly who she was.

His eyes went wide and his smile fell as he realized it too.

"I'm the Ice Queen."

* * *

Yang cursed as she ripped the black bandanna around her knee and tied it around her hand to stop the bleeding. The knife had left a deeper gash than she had expected but didn't trouble her. She could already feel her aura working and doubted she'd have a scratch by morning.

Black feathers continued to float in the air which she kept blowing away.

"I had that under control." She muttered.

Her eyes flashed crimson as she slammed her fist against the steel leaving a large dent and a trail of blood.

When she blinked her eyes returned to normal but she could still feel her semblance threatening to tip over the edge. The rush of power was intoxicating but Yang fought the urge to let go.

The fire didn't want to be contained, it wanted to burn and be fueled by rage.

"Soon." Yang promised herself. "When this is over and I find Ruby."

_Ruby._

Her semblance understood who her sister was. Ruby was the one person who could calm her rage.

She twisted her neck looking for a hatch up above. She had remembered the White Fang using them for cover while shooting at Ruby.

Her hair sparked just thinking about it.

The metal hatch was on the other side of the car and getting to her feet she nearly fell over as the train came around a bend. Lifting her head from what was left of the tile floor she noticed the poster of the woman that had been used as a dart board.

She wandered closer to get a better look but only her dark hair could be made out under the burns and carvings.

"I don't know what you did to hack that psycho off but I like you already." She folded the small poster and placed it into her dust pouch.

Any enemy of Neo was a friend as far as Yang was concerned.

She placed one foot on the ladder then the next and climbed to the top. With a single flick of her wrist she spun the hatch and heard a loud clang as it broke.

"Oops, sorry Weiss." She muttered under her breath.

Yang poked her head up from the train car and was surprised to see a pile of bodies laying around but her eyes lit up seeing a red cape blowing in the rush of air.

Ruby was on her knees leaning on Crescent Rose for support. She held something in her hands but Yang couldn't see with her back turned.

"Excellent job miss Rose. I believe it's time we joined your teammates and stop Torchwick." Oobleck said as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

For the first time Yang noticed the paper thin professor and did a double take upon seeing his singed hair and cloths.

Yang glanced back at her sister who's cape had similar burns.

The sight was enough for her heart to nearly leap out of her chest. She wished nothing more to tackle her sister to the ground and hug her and thank her for being alright.

Before the blonde could stand up something caught her eye.

One of the downed men was still conscious and he had a rifle pointed at Ruby's head.

Yang's eyes became deep red as she roared and launched herself at the masked man.

"NO!" Her hair lit up in flames.

Ruby fell to the ground as she felt the bullet barely miss her ear.

She turned to see as the blonde slammed her fist into the man's skull knocking him out cold instantly but she wasn't done.

He had just tried to murder Ruby in front of her. That was the unforgivable sin as far as Yang was concerned.

"Yang stop!" Ruby cried attempting to tackle her older sister but barely made the brawler budge.

She struck him again and again until there was more of his blood on her fists than her own.

"Don't kill him please!" The caped-girl cried.

Ruby could feel Yang's violent aura radiating off of her and she was truly afraid her sister would finally go too far.

Yang raised her fist and Ruby grabbed hold using her entire aching body as weight.

"Get off!" Yang ordered as she tried to shake her away.

"Please don't kill him!" Ruby begged not letting go. "Please Yang!"

Using her free hand Yang grabbed the masked man by the shirt collar and was about to send him flying off the train when she heard a noise that tugged at her heartstrings and cause her semblance to extinguish.

Her baby sister was sobbing.

The blonde turned and saw tears running down Ruby's face and pain in her cries.

"Ruby." She blinked the crimson away. "Rubes what happened to you?"

From the front the caped-girl's cloths were more torn than she remembered and there was no aura shine coming from her pale skin.

"Someone fell..." She whispered. "I shot him and he fell off the train and he was gonna be eaten by Grimm. So I…"

Ruby turned to the legion of Grimm following behind and let the new markings on her body for themselves.

"So you saved him." Yang gave her sister a hug being mindful of her injuries. Just enough to let her know she was there.

The blonde eyeballed the pile of bodies and her eyes turned red for a split second. Ruby's grip tightened as she felt the temperature suddenly rise.

They had all tried to kill her baby sister and here was Ruby worried about their safety risking her own life to save their worthless ones.

Grimm were monsters but these men weren't much better. Perhaps there was a reason why they wore the masks.

Yang glanced down at the masked man she still had by the collar and finally released him.

The thought of nearly killing a man should have disturbed her more than it did. Huntresses were supposed to protect lives not take them.

What frightened her was knowing how far she was willing to go to protect her baby sister. As long as Ruby was safe her conscious would be clear.

Yang got to her feet giving Ruby a hand and a shoulder to lean on.

The way Ruby shifted her weight from side to side as if she were standing on hot coals made Yang nervous. She glanced down and noticed the caped-girl's boots were loosened and unbuckled.

She bit the side of her cheek unsure if something should be said at a time like this. Her older sibling instincts kicked in however and she lifted the girl off her feet.

"Yang!" The caped-girl cried.

Like so many times when Ruby had fallen asleep on the couch at Signal, Yang scooped the caped-girl in her arms and carried her like a baby.

She sat her atop Crescent Rose so her feet dangled and Yang grinned as she saw Ruby's cheeks puff out.

"You did good sis." She said giving her another small hug. "Summer would be proud of you."

Ruby wiped her eyes and her snotty nose.

"Thanks." She looked down and played with her thumbs.

"You can tell me what happened later sis. Right now we need to catch up with Blake and Weiss."

The caped-girl looked up.

"Aren't you supposed to be with them?" Ruby admonished as her role as leader returned.

The change in attitude was almost jarring for the blonde.

"I was too busy beating up Neo." She said defensively.

Ruby coked her head to the side. "Who's she?"

Yang wasn't surprised Ruby couldn't place the name with the face. For some reason the girl could remember the model and serial number to a fifty year old gun but people's names to faces were different somehow.

"Pink and brown haired woman. She's about as tall as Zwei if he wore Weiss' heels.

Ruby blinked.

"Used the umbrella as a weapon to stop my punch."

"Oh yeah!" Ruby exclaimed as she remembered the weapon which made Yang roll her eyes. "Torchwick mentioned her when I was tied up. Something about wanting me to meet her or something."

Yang swallowed and made a mental note for the next time she and Neo met.

"He made it sound like everyone was scared of her. Even Grimm."

_Gee I wonder why. _She thought to herself sarcastically.

"Be glad you didn't meet her."

"And you beat her?!" Ruby cried.

Yang gave her a thumbs up and wide grin. "Of course I did. Your sister is a bad-"

Oobleck coughed and the girls turned having forgotten he was there.

The professor being used to being forgotten especially in class had been observing the entire event while sipping from his thermos.

"Sorry to break up the touching moment," He said with raised brows. "but we're on a tight schedule here."

Another train car exploded making the girls jump.

They glanced behind them as they heard another cavern open up and saw even more Grimm come pouring out.

A trickle of light above their heads and Yang couldn't help but wonder if they'd reached the city yet.

"Don't worry Professor." Ruby cheered. "Team RWBY has everything under control."

_TTTTSSSRRRRAAA!_

All three covered their ears from the cry reminding them of nails on a chalkboard.

For Ruby and Yang it was oddly familiar...

"What the heck was that!?" Yang cried.

Oobleck raised his binoculars and the girls squinted but couldn't see past the hoards of Grimm.

Something caught their eyes though.

"What's that yellow orb thingy?" Ruby pointed as a soft glow appeared in the distance.

Yang's fingers twisted around her sister's cloak as she realized what it was and didn't want to believe it.

"That would be a Deathstalker." Oobleck said as his voice rose. "A very, very large Deathstalker."

Silence fell between them.

Ruby swallowed. "If something like that gets in the city-"

"There might not be a city." Yang finished.

The caped-girl hopped off Crescent Rose and threw it over her back ready to fight. She fell forward slightly but her sister caught her.

Oobleck shook his head. "Go with your friends and stop the train."

"What will you do?"

He took a drink from his thermos and the golden flames returned.

"Try and slow the Deathstalker down..."

The professor raced to the back of the train and Ruby tired to follow but Yang grabbed her arm.

"Oobleck is a huntsman he can handle it on his own."

"But-"

"It's Dr. Oobleck for the final time!" He shouted.

Yang ignored him. "Weiss and Blake need us."

The caped-girl had her back turned to her sister.

Another train car exploded and to the girls' horror they could see concrete falling to the train tracks.

They had made it home.

Yang pulled Ruby's hood over her face and reloaded her gauntlets.

"The City of Vale needs us."

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Whether or not Weiss would kill the lieutenant is up to you. She could have just as easily maimed him to make sure he never came after her family again. I hope you enjoyed the fight though and the changes I made to the ending. It was important to me for Weiss to get a personal victory against the White Fang for everything they've done to her. I also went ahead and moved Ruby and Yang along in the story. A giant Deathstalker in the City of Vale doesn't sound good. I sure hope Blake can defeat Torchwick and stop the train. Sorry for the slight delays the past few weeks but they could not be helped and will likely continue as the chapters are getting longer and longer. Once again thank you for reading and all of the support you all have given me. You all are incredible and it is a blessing writing for you. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless)**


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Out of Shadows and into Darkness

* * *

_"AHH! She's not human!"_

_*thud*_

A young faunus wearing glasses atop of his mask set the receiver down with a nervous hand. The sound of a sniper rifle firing and steel being cut had somehow drowned out the screaming and high winds atop the train.

He glanced behind him to see a man in the bowler hat motioning for him to speak.

"Well? What did he say Perry?"

The man's glasses nearly slipped off his face. It seemed as if even his mask was sweating.

"Um," He swallowed. "Alpha team is down sir."

Roman Torchwick removed his hat and ran his fingers through a thick lock of orange hair.

"Which one were they again?" He asked returning the hat to its rightful place. "Were they the meat shields atop the train or the ones down below? Sorry all of you look alike to me."

"On top sir." Perry answered not grasping the insult. "Bravo team was down below with the Lieutenant. No word from them either."

Torchwick rummaged through his jacket but grunted when he couldn't find a cigar. He had chain smoked his way through an entire carton and him being out only made the new Perry more anxious.

"What about Charlie Team? What are they waiting for? Tell them to get their little furry tails in the fight or they'll have a very stern talking to with Neo."

Just hearing that name made Perry shudder.

"N-no word from h-her either s-sir." He stuttered.

Torchwick tightened the grip on his cane and glared at the young man trying to discern if the crack had been intentional or not. The Grimm mask covering all but his mouth was making it difficult though.

When he realized the offence had not been on purpose the grip softened but the thought of shooting him and finding a better Perry did come to mind, but sadly he was running out of candidates.

"What about Charlie Team?" He repeated as he massaged his temples.

When the masked man with glasses was too scared to answer another spoke up.

"There is no Charlie Team." Said a deep voice reminding them they weren't alone.

Torchwick blinked. "Really?"

Both masked men nodded but the one with the deep voice turned away uninterested in the conversation.

A smile crawled up Torchwick's face and Perry whimpered as he took a step back.

"Congratulations Perry!" Torchwick patted him on the shoulder which did nothing to make him feel better.

"You've just been promoted to Charlie Team captain. I always believed in you even when no one else did."

Before he could object Torchwick twirled his cane and pointed out the door.

"You are my most loyal companion Perry. I'd even go so far as to call you my friend."

Torchwick seemed sincere as he placed a hand on his back and gently pushed him forward.

"Now go out there and show those dastardly humans what being a faunus is all about. Show them that you're mad as heck and you're not gonna take it anymore."

He handed Perry a wrench that had been laying on a control panel.

Perry took a practice swing and the wrench nearly flew out of his sweaty palms.

Torchwick removed his hat and placed it over his heart.

"Lieutenant Perry." He wiped his eyes with a handkerchief and sniffled. "It has been an honor serving with you."

Perry charged out of the room screaming in a high pitch before running straight into a wall. It seemed the old Perry's glasses weren't quite the correct prescription.

Torchwick grimaced sympathetically and pulled the blind man to his feet and set him in the right direction. He charged forward once again but when he heard Perry run into another wall he shook his head.

"Idiots." Torchwick said in disbelief. "Every single one of them."

He heard a low growl and glanced over to see the other much larger faunus staring down at him.

"Not you though." He said quickly. "I like you, along with your sharp fangs and majestic tusks."

The masked man closed his mouth and went back to work staring at the control panel. With half of the equipment removed from the locomotive he didn't have much to do. Everything including the bombs and speed were automatic. He didn't even have to worry about a train car being disconnected prematurely as each on had a yellow dust engine. His job was mainly to make sure the air conditioning kept working.

"Say..." Torchwick said realizing there was another spare faunus in the locomotive. "why don't you check on Charlie Team? Perry could really use the company."

The faunus shrugged just as uninterested in his new job as his last. He turned to leave and Torchwick inhaled a breath of fresh air.

He had nicknamed the large man the _Warthog _due to his tusks and odor that followed him around. That last part he kept to himself though.

Torchwick reached over to blow the train's whistle.

"Next stop the soon to be ex-City of Va-"

_*thud*_

Something heavy hit the ground and Torchwick sighed.

"Well that didn't take long..." He glanced at his new visitor standing in the door way.

A peculiar girl with a black bow in her hair stepped over the large body. Behind her a broken pair of glasses lay close to an unconscious body.

Torchwick looked more annoyed than upset. He had really wanted to finish that sentence.

"Look what the cat dragged in." He remarked pleased with himself.

From the girl's face it seemed she had heard this hundreds of times, courtesy of her partner, and didn't find it humorous anymore.

That only made it even funnier for the man in the bowler hat though.

He peaked behind the girl and his curiosity was evident in his smile.

"What happened to _Red_, _White_, and _Yellow_?" He asked concerned. "Don't tell me they're dead?!"

She narrowed her eyes and reached for her weapon.

Torchwick shook his head in disbelief and his eyes looked worried.

"I don't have anything black to wear at a funeral." He nodded to the girl and her dark attire.

"Doesn't seem you'll have that problem though. Looks like you're ready for a funeral."

Blake drew her katana separating it from its sheath which she took in the other hand. For the first time she agreed with him.

If the bags under her eyes were any indication she'd had many sleepless nights to think about this moment and was going to let her actions speak for her. Torchwick was fine with this arrangement as he quite liked one sided conversations.

She lowered her chin and raised her weapons for an attack.

Torchwick held up his hands. "Wait let's be civil. Why don't we act like humans for a change."

When she didn't lower her weapons Torchwick smirked. "Oh wait, sorry I forgot. You're a faunus and you're not exactly civilized."

Blake snarled and took a step forward.

She had so many reasons to despise this man sometimes she forgot he was a man at all and not a soulless creature of Grimm.

He had embarrassed her the night of the docks and nearly killed Sun. The Paladin incident had put Yang and Ruby in the hospital while Weiss had been shot and Blake barely escaped with her life.

_So many sleepless nights..._

Ruby being kidnapped had affected the entire team but the faunus' partner most of all. She had seen the tears on Yang's cheeks and heard the wails of a dying animal when they thought her sister might be dead. It was something she would never forget and never wanted to hear again.

They still didn't know who the Beowolf woman was that left Ruby in a broken state but Blake knew she was related to Torchwick somehow.

And now he was leading a train full of explosives and a legion of Grimm to the City of Vale, her new home.

The White Fang were now exactly like the Grimm they masqueraded as but she still couldn't bring herself to hate her fellow faunus. She was once one of them and she could still understand their hatred no matter how misguided just as she understood her hatred for him.

_So many sleepless nights..._

Blake roared with the ferocity of a lion and lunged forward.

"That's right!" Torchwick cried. "You're not human so don't pretend to be!"

Her katana clashed with his cane creating sparks. Torchwick ducked under the girl's cleaver as it aimed for his head narrowly missing his precious hat.

He tried to run but Blake pursued like a predator chasing its prey across the locomotive.

She used her speed to her advantage but Torchwick read all her rage filled attacks as easily as a book.

He laughed every time a shadow had it's head caved in and enjoyed seeing the pain that registered in the empty shell a second before it dissipated. It became a game to him counting each one and on the ninth he caught the real Blake across the shoulder sending her flying.

She landed on her feet and with a swift transformation she fired her pistol but the cane simply spun around deflecting the harmless bullets. Crescent Rose, her weapon was not.

Gambol Shroud transformed again as she swung its ribbon trying to sweep Torchwick's legs out from under him but the crook of his cane easily caught her attack and sent it back over her head.

"Let me show you how it's done!" He laughed.

Torchwick swung his cane around and the handle flew off connected to a thick chain.

Blake barely had time to raise her cleaver and the impact sent her boots skidding across the tile floor.

She gritted her teeth and knocked the chain to the side and charged Torchwick who with a wide eyed expression watched as the cleaver was aiming for his head.

Just as she raised her weapon to his throat something caught her by the neck sucking the air out of her lungs.

She saw Torchwick swing his cane and a second later her feet left the ground and she felt the back of her head break a window.

Glass fell under her feet as she tried to stand but something pulled her down to her knees.

"I'd stay down where you belong if I were you." Torchwick suggested pointing the barrel of his cane at her chest.

Blake glanced down and saw the chain wrapped around her neck like a noose. It was wrapped so tightly she could feel the blood draining from her face as she began to suffocate.

She struggled against the chain and tried cutting it with her cleaver but to no avail. There was a soft red glow coming from the chain as it began twisting and turning on its own.

His aura reeked of tobacco and left burns around her neck reminiscent of cigars being snuffed out.

"I like the collar," Torchwick pursed his lips. "it suits you and your kind well."

She barred her teeth and snarled which only made him tighten the chain.

If her throat wasn't being crushed and his aura causing her to gag she would have had a few choice words learned courtesy from her partner.

Torchwick scratched a secondary trigger on the cane with his finger understanding what her eyes were trying to convey. He had never cared much for vulgarity.

"I guess I'll be in the market for a black suit. I've got another funeral to go to..."

He pulled the trigger and watched as a fireball burned a hole through her chest leaving a scorch mark on the back wall while a look of horror and disbelief was stitched across the faunus' face.

Despite the gruesome scene it brought a warm feeling to Torchwick's heart and even his aura seemed to hum with delight.

That is until he noticed there wasn't a shadow to go along with the body.

Blake wasn't sure if she would ever get used to watching herself die, especially so violently. She pretended that it didn't bother her and that it didn't give her nightmares but her team knew better. They had all caught Blake talking to the empty shell when she thought she was alone.

She had grown up with a shadow for a best friend and having to watch her die so often could make anyone callous, but not her. It still felt like she was losing a part of herself whenever her shadow _died_. It was her own aura after all that she felt disappear along with the _empty_ shell.

She landed on all fours a yard from the blast and watched her shadow fade. Torchwick cocked his head and pointed the barrel at her chest again.

"Maybe I should shorten your leash a bit." He said as the chain began to retract back into his cane.

Blake dug her boots in and even used her fingernails to claw at the tile but inch by inch she was dragged closer towards her execution.

He stopped once she was in the middle of the locomotive with the bright lights above her head.

"You know for a faunus you're not _too_ ugly I suppose. Though, I'd have kept the Grimm mask if I were you."

She managed to find the saliva to try and spit in his face but he raised his arm as a shield.

He took a handkerchief and cleaned his jacket's white sleeve shaking his head.

"_Red _must have learned her poor manners from you." He tightened the chain causing her to cry out in silence.

Tears welled up in her eyes but she refused to let a single one be seen. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"You're an animal plain and simple." Torchwick reminded her. "Here, let me show you."

Torchwick raised his cane and pressed a small red device once hidden by the cane's hook.

_GGGHHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!_

In an instant all the windows shattered and Blake covered her bow in agony as she curled into a ball.

She tried to scream but nothing would come out. All she could think of was that her ears were being stabbed by hot knives.

"You like it?" Torchwick yelled over the screeching. "Think of it like a supersonic dog whistle, or in your case cat whistle."

He kicked her weapons away and spun his cane around and causing her throat to burn even more.

"Installed it myself before coming to this zoo." He said. "I wanted to make sure your _cousins_ didn't try anything."

Blake couldn't hear a word Torchwick was saying and normally wouldn't have complained, but not with knives being driven into her skull.

"Before your time Atlas used these to corral animals like you and ship them back to Menagerie in little kitty crates. They're illegal now of course and just owning this can get you decades in prison."

He stuck the barrel of his cane between her cat ears and Blake could literally feel the screaming inside her own head almost making her forget where she was.

"I wonder what the going rate for murder is these days?"

Torchwick thought about it for a moment and grinned.

"Worth it..." He concluded.

Her eyelids snapped open as if on instinct and her pupils contracted.

She had fought too long and come too far to die on the ground. It wasn't what her teammates had done and it wasn't what the faunus had done in the countless wars against the kingdoms.

The faunus lunged for his throat wishing to tear it open with her bare hands.

"Oops." Torchwick pulled the trigger. "My finger slipped."

The shadow's head rocked back and faded.

"WHAT!"

Another empty shell flew into his chest and another headbutted him in the nose which sent him reeling.

Blake crawled to her weapons focusing on her human senses which didn't seem at all affected by the screeching that penetrated her cat ears.

After the botched haste glyph Weiss had placed on her, Blake had gone a week without relying on most of her superior faunus senses. It almost felt like she was slipping on an old pair of boots again.

Gambol Shroud was lying several feet away but the closer she got the more the black ribbon danced from her leftover aura.

More tears welled up in her eyes as the chain tightened but she continued to stretch. She closed her eyes in agony but they opened when she felt a spark in her finger tips as it connected with the ribbon.

Her weapon transformed in mid air so that her weapon was sheathed and in its heavy attack mode.

She caught her old friend and channeled all of her aura into the blade just as she had copied from Adam and had been properly taught by Yang.

The dark blade turned a shade of purple as she drove it down on her leash. The smell of tobacco made her nose twitch and she could feel Torchwick's aura strengthening the steel.

He grinned watching her face contort in agony and change color but he began to grimace the more his aura drained. When he heard the sound of a chain link snap he raised his cane.

A fireball shot towards her head but she didn't even blink as a shadow-less body dissipated. Torchwick fired again and again feeling a small degree of joy each time he _killed_ her.

_*click*_

He glanced down.

_*click* _

_*click*_

He pulled the trigger again but nothing happened.

Torchwick began reeling the chain back but the girl dug her heels in and pulled back as they played a game of tug-of-war for her life.

A purple light engulfed both Blake and Torchwick who muttered a curse under his breath as the last chain link snapped.

The faunus fell to the floor as the two auras repelled each other while the man in the bowler hat flew over the control panel sprawled out on the file.

Blake coughed and gagged as the first breath of air hit her lungs and nearly making her pass out. She was dizzy from the blood rushing back to her head and could feel the color returning to her face.

_*cough*_

After a coughing fit that put all of Ruby's to shame she rested her forehead on the cold tile and closed her eyes as the room spun. She spat trying to rid the taste of blood out of her mouth but found the taste of tobacco far more appalling.

Her shaking hands were cupped around her neck where she could feel the fever of burns and bruised skin. Ever since she'd been a little girl she'd hated burns and cringed whenever she looked at the caped-girl too closely.

When she heard the sound of boots and her eyelids snapped open.

Torchwick reached down to retrieve his hat giving it a slight dusting before putting it back on his head.

Blake got to a knee still breathing heavily but was no longer gasping like a fish out of water.

He examined the chain links laying all around the locomotive before finding the handle to his cane.

"You're gonna pay for that." He said wiping the blood from his nose.

_*silence*_

Torchwick grimaced seeing the faunus clutching her katana and cleaver instead of her ears.

He glanced down at the small device in his cane and cursed again.

"Everything Junior sells is cheap…" He murmured before turning his attention back to Blake.

Torchwick noticed the defensive stance she had taken and the almost wild look in her eyes.

He snapped the hook back onto his cane and gave it a twirl.

Despite wanting nothing more than to rush him again Blake held back. Once again she had lost her cool and had nearly lost her life _again_.

She took a deep breath more to calm her emotions than to satisfy her starving lungs. This time she'd let him lead.

Torchwick stepped forward and bowed as if it were a formal duel.

"If you had nine lives I'm afraid you just spent them all."

Torchwick didn't give her time for a witty retort or even a snarl as he struck with blinding speed.

Gambol Shroud blocked his lunge setting her up for a counter attack but Torchwick struck too fast.

The cane cracked her knuckles on a quick jab but she returned the favor with a shallow cut to the shoulder.

She thrust her cleaver forward but the cane's hook wrapped around her hand twisting it and making her drop her weapon.

Torchwick pressed forward as to try and overwhelm her just as he's done the night at the docks.

As his cane came within inches from her face Blake parried the blow and sliced the bowler hat off his head.

"Someone's been practicing." He complimented taking a step backward.

He kicked his hat which was now it two parts.

"_White's _been teaching you new tricks hasn't she?"

Blake didn't say a word but it was her stance that said it all. Months ago it had been rigid and unrefined. Now it was almost elegant thanks to the heiress.

Weiss was the finest fencer Blake had ever seen, she hadn't been lying to her. In the months they had trained together she had come to realize just how sloppy her technique had been under Adam's tutelage.

In their first match up Blake had been excited to teach the youngest Schnee daughter a history lesson but there had been two fundamental things Blake had done wrong. First she she had probed for weaknesses and waited for an opening. Second she had tried to outsmart the heiress.

Both of these strategies were impossible against Weiss.

Weiss had perfect grades for a reason and you could not find a single flaw in her technique. Often times you could see how she was going to win five moves before she did it, but that didn't mean you could stop her. Blake had walked out of the fight with a draw simply because she could outlast her teammate in a fight and let the clock expire. Nowadays they traded victories.

Torchwick pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his bloody nose. He was baiting her into attacking but she wouldn't be drawn into another trap. Instead she'd set her own.

Blake's shadow stretched across the locomotive. Torchwick glanced down at the shadows growing in the room and how they all seemed to point towards the girl in black.

The lights began to flicker making it difficult for him to see.

Her semblance was more than just a shield to hide behind. Yang had told her so in their first match but just the memory made her head hurt. While the rest of her class, courtesy of the blonde, had been sent to the hospital with broken bones and Cardin with a dislocated pelvis, Blake had walked away with a mild concussion. An unmitigated victory if there ever was one.

Blake shadow jumped to Torchwick's side who tried to swat her way but his attacks were easily read. She appeared again to his back but he spun his cane around without even looking and blocked her katana.

Again and again she tried never letting him get a break or think about his next move. She kept her moves erratic while being proactive while looking for his weaknesses.

She would be just as ruthless and unmerciful as her leader.

Although Ruby was childish at times and naive, Blake would never forget how utterly unprepared she had been to face off against the caped-girl for the first time. Blake was naturally a defensive fighter who waited for opportunities but Ruby had never given her a chance to strike. After a five minute assault she was laid flat out on her back by the caped-girl's scythe and Ruby afterward had offered a hand up and a chocolate chip cookie.

Blake noticed Torchwick having trouble keeping up with her moves and she couldn't hide her grin.

Unlike her skilled teammates though she was a faunus. She didn't need aura to strengthen her bones and muscles which drained them in prolonged fights.

Her reflexes were faster, her senses sharper, her body more durable, and her mind like a predator.

_It's a game of cat and mouse. _Yang's bemused voice quipped in the back of her mind.

Torchwick stepped into a shadow and regretted it instantly as his heart skipped a beat from the oppressive aura. It was like a dark cloud that hovered over Torchwick's thoughts and his face contorted.

_So many sleepless nights..._

The aura was so much more than just frustrated and bitter. It was like her aura was a record of all the heartache she had been through since she was a child. It was full of all her regrets with the White Fang and all of the hope she had for a future.

Torchwick's movements began to slow as the darkness weighed him down and it felt as though his boots were being filled with lead. He could see how he was going to lose five moves before he did.

With a final flourish of her blade Blake disarmed him and the cane was sent flying. He tried to catch it but a purple blast of aura sent it flying out the window.

Torchwick raised his hands in surrender and backed away towards the open door.

The shadows began to fade and Blake took heavy breaths as sweat beaded on her forehead. Unlike her teammates she rarely used much aura in a fight and wasn't used to dropping so quickly.

She kept her katana on him but didn't dare get any closer in fear of another trick. She still hadn't seen his semblance and knew how dangerous he could be when underestimated.

Torchwick kept his eyes on the katana as he stepped over the fallen White Fang member. He took another step but froze when the temperature suddenly plummeted.

"Where do you think you're going?" A familiar voice demanded to know.

A rapier pressed into Torchwick's back sending chills down his spine.

His head spun and saw the heiress staring back at him with cold eyes and a bandage stained red around the top of her head.

Torchwick noticed the scarred eye but before he could comment the blade pressed deeper into his back making him jump.

"If you make one comment about me not wearing make up I swear I'll skewer you." She promised. "I woke this morning with a bad hair day and its been down hill ever since and I have a massive migraine because of you!"

For once Roman Torchwick was of a loss for words and hurried away to the other side of the locomotive.

Blake couldn't hide her smile seeing Weiss again. Leaving her with the lieutenant had been one of the hardest decisions of her life and seeing her alive gave her misty eyes.

"H-hey." Her voice cracked.

Weiss regarded her for a moment and frowned.

"I told you not to wait for me." She admonished.

Despite her harsh tone Blake could tell Weiss was having difficulty keeping up the ice queen's appearance.

Blake continued to stare and eventually saw a smile tug at the heiresses lips.

"Hmph." Weiss huffed and they turned their eyes to Torchwick as he hurried up a ladder to make his escape.

He grabbed the metal hatch and recoiled as if he'd touched a hot stove.

Torchwick shook his hand and reached for it again this time with his sleeve for protection but began to cry out when the hatch was pulled away from his finger tips.

He cursed as blonde hair dropped down.

"Hi!" Yang grinned holding the hatch in one hand.

She gave the steel a gentle squeeze and bent it as easily as clay.

Torchwick jumped back and hugged the far wall as Yang hopped down.

"Hi guys." She said nonchalantly. "Neo says hi too."

Once again Blake's heart skipped a beat and did nothing to hide her joy seeing her partner again.

"Did you guys miss me?"

Blake nodded but Weiss scowled at the broken hatch.

"Where's Ruby?" The heiress asked trying to hide her anxiety but not doing a good job.

Yang's grin got even wider which they didn't think possible.

"Wait for it…"

"AAHHH!"

Torchwick screamed as Crescent Rose's blade protruded from the wall just inches from his face. He dived out of the way before he was beheaded. With a single stroke the scythe cut a perfect hole and a girl in a red hood crawled inside using her weapon for balance.

"Here's Ruby!" Yang cried.

Her sister bowed with her scythe behind her back and a smattering of rose petals appeared at her feet as if they were thrown by an audience.

Weiss rolled her eyes at the blatant waste of aura but clapped politely.

Ruby's head tilted up as she noticed a rope attached to the ceiling. Her eyes lit up and gave the rope a tug and locomotive gave a loud whistle which made her giggle. She had always wanted to do that. Torchwick however was in disbelief. How was this brat a team leader at Beacon?

Weiss tapped her foot impatiently as her partner blew the whistle for a third and fourth time.

"Was it really necessary to cut a hole in my family's train?!" She snapped.

Ruby seemed to think about it for a moment and nodded.

She pulled her hood down revealing tired eyes and a weary smile that seemed to hurt the caped-girl's face.

Blake grinned seeing the young leader again but she was instantly struck by all the new tears in Ruby's cloths and flesh. The girl's shoes were unbuckled and unlaced, and the girl was out of breath needing the support of Crescent Rose just to stay on her feet.

She glanced at Weiss who was also taking inventory of her partner's injuries. They began to recognize a few from when she was in the hospital.

Yang coughed getting their attention and pointed at Torchwick. The sooner they ended this the sooner her sister could rest.

Ruby glanced over thinking Yang was signalling for her to speak.

"Torchwick," She rasped as if she hadn't had a drink of water in days. "stop the train right now or Yang will break your jaw."

"Your voice sounds like it went through a cheese-grater." Torchwick remarked as if it actually hurt him.

He flinched when Yang cracked her knuckles.

"Sorry _Red, _but I can't do that." Torchwick feigned sincerity. "This was a one way trip and I had the brakes removed."

Silence befell the train car.

"Weiss?" Yang asked not letting her panic show.

The heiress' eyes widened as she noticed a control panel was missing along with the dust infused gears that should have been spinning.

"They're gone." She whispered. "We can't even control the speed."

Torchwick rocked his head back laughing at the looks on their faces. He made the sound an explosion and made a gesture with his hands of buildings falling.

Ruby turned her head as a tear ran down her cheek. Her legs seemed to lose all power and she sat on Crescent Rose.

Blake and Weiss however were clutching their weapons so tightly their knuckles turned white. Yang's eyes turned red and very quickly the room became a maelstrom of heat, cold, and shadows. Not a single rose flew through the air though.

Torchwick howled in their misery and continued with his sound effects.

"Someone shut him up!" The heiress yelled tired of his mocking.

Blake took a step towards Torchwick and rested her blade on his cheek drawing a thin red line.

"Oh come now kitty cat," He brought his hands up to mimic her ears. "you and I used to be on the same side."

"Wrong..."

She pressed the blade to his throat.

"You and I were never on the same side." She growled as her weapon pressed against him.

"If you think a little black bow can hide what you are-"

_*cough*_

"What you've done-"

_*cough*_

"Then you're in store for a very rude awaking. . . Blake."

Him using her name caught her off guard. He had never referred to any of them by their names until now.

She glanced back at her teammates. Ruby was staring out the window either not wanting to watch or too upset to notice what was happening. Weiss watched on with cold eyes but there was sympathy in them as well, as if she knew what Blake was going through.

Yang's eyes were full of fire and anger the same as her aura but like the heiress they also carried something else.

Warmth.

Her team was battered and beaten. She'd been accepted by them despite her past and they'd followed her into a war that wasn't theirs to fight all because she was their friend.

She had been consumed and obsessed with finding this man but it seemed they had been equally as determined in protecting her.

Her katana fell from his throat making Torchwick blink.

"What can't go through with it?" He smirked.

Blake remained silent as she composed her thoughts and emotions.

"Cat got your ton-"

In the blink of an eye Gambol Shroud's ribbon was around his neck and covered his mouth. He tried to scream but all that came out was a muffled moan.

Blake flashed a smile seeing him both collared and muzzled.

"Sorry but Yang is the only one who gets to say that."

His eyes narrowed as he struggled to get the ribbon off with no success.

Blake waved a hand to the caped-girl who was still staring off into space.

"The honor is all yours Ruby."

She turned her head hearing her name. "Huh?"

"If anyone deserves to knock him out it's you."

"Me?" She grimaced. "Why me?"

"Well you are team leader."

That only seemed to sadden her.

"And he kidnapped you," Weiss said quickly. "and shot you, tried to kill you, and-."

"And he put a cigar to your cape Ruby." Yang added.

Ruby turned to face Torchwick who waved.

Dragging Crescent Rose along with her Ruby squatted down to look Torchwick in the eyes.

"ygonakllmrd?" He said.

"What?" Yang chuckled. Torchwick unable to speak was music to her ears.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "He said _'you going to kill me Red?',_ or something along those lines."

Everyone glanced over at the heiress and even Torchwick looked surprised.

"What?" She said innocently. "Ruby talks with her mouth full. I've learned to adapt."

The team shrugged and turned their eyes back on Torchwick who screamed when the scythe was planted right between his legs.

Ruby leaned in close.

"Lucky for you I don't hit little girls." She repeated holding her side from where Perry had kicked her.

She landed a well placed boot into his ribs knocking the wind out of him.

"Do your thing Yang." She dragged her weapon away.

"Wrrrtttt!?" Torchwick's eyes widened.

Torchwick continued to struggle against the ribbon and finally loosened it around his mouth.

"Wait! hold on!" He pleaded. "Can't we discuss this and share our feelings?"

With hands held up as if to say a prayer he begged the blonde for something she was incapable of giving right now.

Forgiveness and mercy.

Yang's mane caught fire and her eyes turned completely crimson.

"Okay, let's discuss our feelings..."

Her teammates were nearly knocked off their feet from the violent aura radiating off the blonde.

"I CHANGE MY MIND! I CHANGE MY MIND!" He screamed.

She was grinning ear to ear as pure rage became joy.

Weiss took a step back and used her partner as a makeshift shield. She was afraid Yang might finally combust and figured Ruby would be the likely survivor.

Yang grabbed him by his collar and let his boots dangle off the ground.

"Wait, hold on!" Torchwick choked remembering what she had done to his paladin with a single punch.

The temperature went up twenty degrees and Torchwick began sweating through his expensive suit.

Despite her rage and violent aura her voice was calm and steady.

"I'll make a deal with you, Torchwick." She glanced back to Ruby and her feet. "If you tell me the woman's name who broke in to the CCT the other day and where to find her I promise there won't be any permanent damage to your face."

Her sister's mouth opened but promptly closed it.

Torchwick looked thoughtful. "Did she have dark hair?"

She nodded.

"Did she wear a red dress?"

Again she nodded.

"Sorry, don't know her." He grinned.

Yang tightened her grip around his throat. "Wrong answer."

She pulled back her fist.

"This is for trying to kill my little sister, tormenting my best friend, making us come to this God forsaken city and listen to Weiss' nonstop complaining, and for burning Summer's cloak..."

"Wait her name-"

Yang roared as her fist slammed against his skull causing the tile floor to ripple and flames erupt from the control panels. Her friends were knocked off their feet but Blake caught Ruby and Weiss before they fell.

Torchwick's eyes rolled to the back of his head as it whipped back and his body collapsed atop of itself with his foot in an awkward angle and blood dripping from his mouth. His suit was torn to pieces and he'd been knocked out of his boots.

The blonde's aura died off and she turned to her team with lilac eyes.

"Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy."

"What do you think he was gonna say?" Blake asked.

Yang shrugged. "We can make him talk later."

"If you didn't kill him you mean."

Yang paused. "Oops..."

"Is he dead?" Weiss asked not sounding entirely concerned.

They watched for his chest to rise and when it did Ruby was the only one who sighed with relief.

"I almost feel sorry for him." She said to her teammates' surprise.

"_Almost_." Ruby clarified with a thin smile while rubbing her burnt shoulder.

A red light flashed in the room causing everyone to jump. Weiss flicked her wrist and the flames caused by Yang were extinguished with a small glyph.

"What do we do now?" Blake asked. "I don't see anything to stop the train."

Ruby looked around unsure what she was actually looking for.

"What if we destroy the locomotive? Will that stop it?"

Everyone glanced at the heiress who shook her head. "Each car has it's own motor. They keep the train going at full speed. We'd have to stop each of them."

"Can-"

"No." Weiss interrupted the blonde. "That'd take too long."

"What about the tracks!?" Ruby asked as she headed for the ladder. By the time she reached the top she was out of breath and her teammates right behind her.

"This is a Schnee Dust Company train and rail." Weiss huffed. "You can't just derail it."

"She's right." Blake agreed a little too quickly which earned her a curious glance from the heiress. "The wheels are magnetized with yellow and black dust. The White Fang ended up having to resort to blowing the cars up or-."

"Or stealing them." Weiss finished causing Blake to look away.

"What if we separate the cars from the engine?" Ruby asked but again Weiss shook her head.

"Everything on this train is automated and with bombs wired to go off shutting them down might not be the best idea."

"We might not have a choice." Blake muttered. "If we don't stop them they'll go off in the city."

"Us along with them..." Ruby pulled her hood up unable to look her friends in the eyes. She had set the entire chain of events into motion and led her team into a death trap.

It was as if all the air in the tunnel had been sucked out.

Ruby bit her lip to stifle a sob. She didn't want this. Being a huntress wasn't supposed to be like this.

Weiss and Blake glanced at one another unsure what to say but said the one thing that had been on their minds.

"Sorry," They said in unison. "for everything."

Their smiles mirrored each other. "Nothing to apologize for."

They grabbed the caped-girl by the shoulders but she didn't lift her hooded face.

The sound of knuckles being cracked caused her body to stiffen and she pushed her teammates away who were equally as surprised.

Ruby turned around to see her sister's hair catching fire and her eyes red, but it seemed there seemed to be no life to them.

It made the caped-girl's body shake and her heartbeat quicken.

Yang was not the type of girl who was unsure of herself but looking down as the train tracks disappeared at binding speed was one of those times.

She could see the disbelief on their faces for even suggesting something so crazy and would have bet she looked the same.

"No." Her sister said flatly.

The blonde ignored her and took a step forward to the front of the locomotive. She was gonna stop it with her bare hands if it meant keeping her sister and friends safe.

"I said no!" Ruby yelled grabbing Yang by the arm.

"Ruby, I have to try!" She shouted back.

The caped-girl tripped and her sister caught her in an embrace.

"Please don't go..." Ruby sobbed.

Yang didn't trust herself to speak. She couldn't help but wonder if Ruby had said the same to Summer.

Death had never frightened Yang as much as leaving her sister. If she had made it to thirty years old the blonde would have counted herself lucky to join such an elite class of huntresses. Her mother hadn't and Summer had been retired for years and barely passed the mark.

Nothing burned forever and Yang knew she was no exception.

But...

Weeks from her eighteenth birthday was too soon and she still had Ruby's sixteenth birthday to plan. Who was gonna bake cookies if she was gone?

"Rubes," Yang said in her ear. "I'm sorry I wasn't a better big sis."

The caped-girl held on even tighter. It was like she was saying goodbye.

"Please don't go..." She whispered.

Before she could speak Blake and Weiss tapped them on the shoulder.

"Um, we've got a problem." Blake said in a low voice.

"Huh?" The sisters looked up.

"We're out of track!" Weiss screamed.

_So there is a light at the end of the tunnel. _Ruby thought to herself.

They were at the end of the line.

Just ahead was where the people of Vale had sealed the tunnel off from the lost city.

Ruby tightened her grip around her sister. She felt like the little girl who hid under the bed all those years ago.

"Weiss?" Yang glanced over at the heiress. "We need an ice shield and now."

The heiress froze as if hypnotized by the barricade they were speeding towards.

"WEISS!" The blonde screamed again snapping her out of her trance.

Weiss spun her dust chamber and the blade began to glow light blue. She drove the rapier into the train car and nearly a dozen ice glyphs appeared around them.

She fell to one knee as the mental strain was too much. Everything began to spin as the ice slowly grew around them.

Ruby glanced behind her and saw the White Fang laying on the train cars and her heart skipped a beat and then another one.

"No wait!" Ruby screamed letting go of her sister. "The White Fang! They'll die!"

She grabbed Crescent Rose but something pulled her back. She turned to see Yang holding onto her cape.

Ruby glanced at Blake for support but she turned her head and closed her eyes. They weren't the White Fang she remembered.

The ice glyph rose and a barrier began to surround them.

The caped-girl tried to pull her caped off but was tackled to the roof by her sister.

"Yang get off of me!"

"I'm not losing you again sis." The blonde promised. "I won't let you go."

"I can't let them die!" Ruby cried nearing hysterics. "Please!"

"Weiss finish it!" Blake cried.

The ice barrier formed and all they could see was darkness.

They waited a moment breathing heavily and their hearts beating rapidly. Ruby continued to struggle but Yang covered her sister as an extra layer of protection. She felt two other bodies fall next to her and they wrapped their arms around each other.

This was it.

Time to say goodbye...

When they hit the barricade they didn't even have time to realize what had happened. They felt the ice barrier blow apart and then nothing.

* * *

Ruby reached out to smack her alarm clock for disrupting her sleep. If she didn't hit it fast enough she knew from experience her partner would scold her and having to listen to a cranky heiress first thing in the morning was the last thing she wanted.

She slapped the wall where her scroll should have been couldn't find where the disturbance was coming from. With her luck she had probably thrown it across the dorm room.

Her eye lids flickered open as she felt water drip on her face.

A tuft of hair and blurry eyes made it impossible to see. She brushed her hair to the side but paused when something smeared across her forehead.

With a fog still in her eyes she glanced down confused. Why was she covered in mud? Why had she fallen asleep in a mud puddle?

And why was there a siren?

It took a moment but the caped-girl remembered hearing the sound occasionally from the Isle of Patch and once or twice while studying at Beacon. It was the alarm that sounded in case of a breach in the city but had only ever been used for drills.

Ruby racked her brain to try and remember the last time there had been a security drill in the City of Vale and vaguely remembered General Ironwood holding one after his arrival.

Why were they having another drill just weeks later?

Something didn't feel right and it wasn't because Ruby had lost her lunch on the train.

Train? She had never been on the SDC train through Forever Fall yet it seemed to trigger something in her memory.

Ruby's head spun as memories floated back to her as if they were rose petals being blown by the wind.

Her hand grazed something soft and it felt as though she had touched the stove in the student kitchen.

She dipped her hand in the cool mud and glanced over trying to figure out what the yellow blur was in the fog of her eyes.

"Yang?" She moaned.

The blonde's finger twitched.

"Yang wake up."

She raised her head as if on instinct and had a far away look in her eyes.

"Weiss...Blake..."

She looked to the side and could see the black and white pair laying in front of her.

Blake cried out and pulled her arms over the top of her head.

_The sirens._ Ruby thought a second after she heard the faunus whimper.

Weiss groaned as she lifted her head out of the mud which had frozen to her face.

Her partner would have normally found the humor in the situation but Ruby's memory was coming back and she was starting to recognize where she was.

The little boutiques Ruby would have never been able to afford without Weiss lined both sides of the street and she could smell the familiar aroma of chocolate from her favorite bakery.

Even the people staring back at her with shocked faces looked familiar.

She looked where she and her team were laying.

It reminded her of the crater she had left in front of Beacon on her first day except a giant hole was in the center.

The Central Plaza...

In the City of Vale...

She glanced up and saw rain clouds in the sky as a drop hit her in the forehead.

The CCT rose in the distance and the newly replaced windows on the top floor seemed to mock her.

Phantom pains shot through her body remembering the incident but she soon realized the pain wasn't going away and it wasn't phantom.

It was as real as the shaking of the ground and the roars coming from the abyss.

She heard someone squeak like a frightened mouse and glanced over to see a young girl wearing red squeezing her mother's hand.

The mother and daughter both looked close to tears.

Ruby felt her heart break as she heard a pack of Beowolves howl.

"I'm sorry..." She whispered to the girl and her mother. "I'm so sorry..."

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. I wanted to give Blake her big moment but I also wanted it to feel like a team victory even if she won by herself. Yang punching Torchwick is probably a fate worse than death and he deserves it. I hope you have enjoyed each character getting a chapter dedicated to them and the fights. I hope I stayed loyal to their characters while creating my own story. I realize there has been a lot of action lately and there will be even more to come but I hope it has been enjoyable. ****Thank you everyone who has supported me throughout this story and left amazing reviews and PMs. It has been a blessing writing for you. I'm not sure when the next update will be in all honesty. Breach will be a couple of chapters long and I want it to be as satisfying as possible. ****Until then, thank you so much for supporting me and all the words of encouragement. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless)**


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

When the Levee Breaks

* * *

The City of Vale had been called _The Melting Pot of Remnant_ since its very foundation. It was where the cultures of all the kingdoms and territories came to one city to create their own.

Roads paved in yellow bricks led to Beacon Academy, the most prestigious school in the world for training huntsmen. Foreign students flocked to the Emerald Tower as if it was a rite of passage and to pay their respects to the school that had trained so many fallen heroes and crowned so many champions.

To the northeast was Forever Fall, the red forest that had been the inspiration for generations of poets and artists, and the resting place of countless others. The Schnee Dust Company had built a grand rail road through the majestic scarlet trees which doubled as dust shipping and tourism but these had become fewer and fewer since train cars began disappearing and occasionally blowing up.

Rising from the east and casting a dark shadow was Mt. Glenn which served as a natural buffer to keep the larger Grimm at bay. An expansion city had once thought to take advantage of its security but it now stood in ruin and its streets populated by Grimm. Its name was left blank in history books and even speaking it was considered a bad omen.

Having given birth to the Vytal Festival the city's neighboring island of Vytal was known as the birthplace of peace and law, while its other neighbor to the west, Patch was far more infamous for Signal Academy's rowdy students and as inventors of both the strawberry sunrise and the little umbrellas that came with it.

A city was nothing without its people and while Mistral claimed to have the most friendly_,_ the City of Vale was no stranger to kindhearted citizens despite the majority of its upper class haling from Atlas and living on the unaffordable side of town.

To a fifteen year old girl wearing a red cape it was the greatest place in the world and the fact that you could find bakeries open day and night only added to the allure of the melting pot. Her village of Patchwork had been ripped away at an early age and Signal had always been a stepping stone to Beacon for her. The City of Vale was her true home but right now _home _was the last place she wanted to be.

She didn't want to see the kind faces staring down at her while she lay in a crater nor did she want to hear the sirens that filled her heart with dread.

Her aching body shivered as a light sprinkle fell from the rain clouds above while the sun tried to peak through. She propped her elbows up and saw a a mother and daughter standing together. The mom had her arm wrapped around her little girl as if promising to never let her go.

"R-un…" Her voice cracked andno one could hear her plea over the blaring sirens.

By her side a girl dressed in black covered the top of her head as if the alarm was causing her pain. A loose bow was tied in her dark hair which she tightened with an expert hand.

Another girl wearing an expensive white jacket had ice stuck to her pale face which she brushed off along with a layer of dirt. At first glance it looked as though she had a red headband in her hair but was in fact a white bandage her blood had stained.

The caped-girl felt something tug the back of her neck and glanced over to see a tall girl with golden hair pulling on her cape as the cold rain was turning to steam by the touch of her skin. Her red eyes were cloudy and she didn't seem to know where she was but as her unfocused eyes rested on the mother and daughter her knuckles turned white from her grip.

The citizens of Vale looked down as their legs began to shake and the ground rumble. An explosion was heard in the distance sounding almost like an echo of what they'd heard moments before.

_The train kept going._ The girl in red realized. _It went through the barrier and kept going..._

By watching the smoke in the sky she could almost follow its underground path. The train had come from the southeast of Mt. Glenn and was now doing a loop around the districts, going through barricades and punching holes throughout the city.

As the sirens began to fade the girl in black removed her hands from the top of her head straightening the bow one last time before glancing at the girls she was sharing the crater with.

"Yang." She groaned. "Ruby. Weiss."

Hearing their names seemed to make the fog in all their eyes clear and they began to stir.

_AAhhhwwoooooooohoo!_

The four froze hearing Beowolves howling down in the tunnel below. The civilians likely never having heard Grimm before were troubled by the unusual sound but mostly just confused.

"Run!" Ruby cried finding strength in her voice. "They're coming!"

_AAAhhwwwoooooooooooohhhhhhooooo!_

Everyone in the plaza turned all around as this time the sound came from up above and not too far away.

"No..." Blake breathed. "It can't be."

"They're already in the city." Weiss shuddered.

Yang punched the ground and gritted her teeth. Everything they'd fought so hard for and all the blood they'd shed had been a waste.

Citizens backed away unsure what was going on. A few took heed of the young huntress' words grabbing their children and ran but they were few. Too many simply gawked with their scrolls out taking pictures of the bizarre scene.

"RUN!" The caped-girl screamed pushing herself to her feet with a six foot long scythe.

She swung Crescent Rose in a wide arc scaring those closest to her and driving them back. When those out of her reach stood still she pointed her baby to the sky and a second later its barrel flashed causing a few more scatter.

As the heavy recoil hit her body she moaned and dropped to a knee. Out of breath she glanced at her teammates who were rising to their feet using whatever or _whoever_ they could for leverage. As their knees began to wobble and threatened to buckle they stared down the dark tunnel they had been expelled from.

Glowing red eyes stared back at them in the abyss and Blake could swear the monsters were grinning with their sharp fangs.

Ruby pointed her rifle at the Grimm but was yanked back by strong arms grabbing her by the shoulders.

"GET DOWN!" Yang cried as she pushed her sister to the ground and fell atop of her as their partners did the same.

The giant claws of a Creep covered completely in white armor crawled out of the darkness baring its fangs at the citizens of Vale who began screaming in panic. The beast roared and as if by invitation more Grimm began pouring out of the tunnel and into the plaza.

If the monsters saw the four girls laying in the crater they took no notice of them. There was enough meat to go around after all.

Screams filled the air as the team rolled out of the way crawling out of the death trap before they could be crushed and trampled.

Yang got to her feet with her sister held tightly under her arm attempting to haul her away from the chaos. With her aura burning brightly and her hair burning even brighter the blonde punched a Creep out of her way and made a path for Blake and Weiss to follow. The monochrome pair armed themselves and began cutting their way to the sisters doing their best to duck under claws and dodge teeth but only half succeeding.

_"AAAHHHHH!"_

Ruby's neck twisted around hearing a man scream and saw the body hit yellow pavement just as the Beowolf licked its crimson claws. The rest of its pack reared back on their hind legs and began to howl as if to announce the hunt was just beginning. Even so many years after Patchwork and countless hours training the howl still made the hair on the back of Ruby's neck stand up. But it also made her blood run cold.

The caped-girl squirmed in her sister's grasp but it took an elbow to the chest for her to finally break free.

"RUBY!" Yang screamed reaching out but only catching a handful of small rose petals.

Ruby fired her rifle into the hoard of Grimm but there were too many for Crescent Rose to make a difference. Most of the Creeps and even some of the Beowolves had pure white armor and simply withstood her bullets.

With no other choice she fired behind her to get a running start and charged into the fray with raspy war cry. She had to save everyone or die trying.

"RU-BY!" Her sister screamed again as her sister ducked under an Ursa's paw before decapitating it.

Yang couldn't see any shine coming from the caped-girl meaning she was without her aura shield. There was nothing protecting her from the hoards Grimm besides a red cape and bruised skin.

As she ran toward her sister a massive Creep blocked her view of Ruby. It snarled as a mix of drool and blood dripped from its crimson jaws.

"Bad move." She growled before charging.

Crescent Rose tore through several Grimm but the blade began to dip as it became heavy in Ruby's arms. She tried to swing her weapon around as a pair of Beowolves attacked her flank but for the first time in her life she wasn't quick enough. Just as she was about to close her eyes the beasts began to disintegrate as a rapier and a katana were thrust into their chests.

Ruby smiled approvingly at her teammates' timely arrival but Blake and Weiss were too focused on the overwhelming force baring down on them to notice. They barely had time to raise their weapons as four more Grimm took the place of the two they'd killed.

"Get behind me!" Yang ordered as she literally tore the Creep in half to get to her baby sister. A few unlucky Grimm stepped in her way and were met with a similar fate.

The blonde lowered her chin as she began running through the Grimm as if she were a flaming battering ram knocking them aside and creating a path to follow. Blake was a step behind using her blades to protect her back and Ruby while Weiss stayed at her partner's side with a fiery rapier that was quickly fading.

Having no other choice Ruby covered their flank and fell into a pattern of using her weapon's recoil to both swing her weapon and propel her backwards. Her limbs were burning and it was all she could do to hold onto Crescent Rose as if she were a puppet following its movements. Even the simple task of pulling the trigger was causing her fingers to bleed.

Often she would start to fall behind and her partner would have to drag her by the cape. Ruby didn't want to retreat, she wanted to stay in the action and the chaos but with Blake and Weiss funneling her and the Grimm pushing her away she had no choice but to follow her sister.

When she backed into Blake she glanced over her shoulder to see they had finally reached the outer perimeter of the plaza where the Grimm were beginning to thin. Although being out of the chaos should have brought some relief to her spirit she couldn't help but wish to enter the fray again. That was where the majority people were and where she was supposed to be. That was where she felt most at home.

"What do we do now?" Weiss huffed as she stabbed a Beowolf with a now flame-less rapier that had wandered too close.

Instead of answering Ruby swung her blade at a Creep and felt her shoulder nearly be pulled out of socket causing Weiss to finish the pair off for her.

"Thanks." She breathed as she switched Crescent Rose to the less painful left hand and shoulder.

"This avenue leads to the residential district." Blake answered as she sliced a Beowolf apart.

She pointed with her cleaver to where most of the apartments and homes were housed in the City of Vale and then back behind her to the chaos.

"We need to contain the breach and protect the district."

"What about the plaza?" Ruby asked in a high pitch. "We should be in there fighting and what about the rest of the city?"

"We can't worry about that." Yang snapped as she stopped an Ursa Major from biting her head off. "If the Grimm get through us thousands of people will die in their homes Ruby. We have to wait for reinforcements and-"

"And do our job and just save as many we can." Weiss finished with a bitter taste in her mouth.

Ruby didn't say a word but knew her teammates were right. They were exhausted and barely holding their own against small groups of Grimm at a time. Both Weiss and Blake had several new cuts and claw marks from protecting their leader and neither girl was meant for front line combat.

It comforted her to think she was protecting her team when in reality they were the ones looking out for her.

"Okay." Was all she could manage.

Hearing children scream the caped-girl took aim at a nearby Creep before it could take a mother's arm off while her two sons watched. Crescent Rose fired distracting the Grimm as it was curious of who had shot it in the head. Her rifle fired again and a second later the beast felt its head glide off its shoulders and fall to the ground.

The mother and children fanned the rose petals out of their eyes while Ruby leaned against her rifle and bit her tongue to keep her body's protests to herself while sweat poured off her face. She could feel the timer ticking and knew she didn't have many of those left. She didn't have the aura and the strain was becoming too much for her body.

_Thank you. _The mother mouthed while her eyes sparkled causing their savior to frown.

"Get inside!" Ruby ordered pointing them inside a nearby cafe. "Now!"

The mother and children jumped hearing such a sharp voice coming from such a small girl, but the woman did as she was told and grabbed her boys by their hands dragging them away as their little feet couldn't keep up.

Ruby pulled her hood up and took a deep breath. She had seen enough kids lose their mother in her life, she couldn't bare to see another one.

She glanced up just as a wave of Grimm were charging toward her team. It seemed the mob had finally noticed the huntresses now that they were running out of defenseless victims in the plaza. She couldn't help but wonder if they'd specifically sensed her own weakness and suffering.

The team fell back to her side but Yang took a step forward so she was on the front line by herself.

"Stay with Ruby and keep her safe." She ordered Blake. "You too Weiss."

The girls nodded and took defensive stances on either side of the caped-girl so that three blades stood between her, Yang, and the Grimm.

"Yang-"

"Ruby," Her sister interrupted. "this isn't up for debate."

Before Ruby could argue about team balance and structure the beasts roared and howled alike drawing her focus to the monsters that had waited decades and possibly centuries for this day. The day that the City of Vale bled.

Yang took another step forward and began to roar like the Grimm and she began to let her semblance and uncontrollable rage takeover. Her yells filled the air but they were quickly drowned out by the sound of thunder causing the Grimm to pause. They had learned from experience what the sound of _thunder_ meant. It was usually followed by death.

Yang blinked. "Huh?"

The team narrowed their eyes and in the dark sky they could see a green airship with the insignia of two axes and a laurel flying over head.

"It's Beacon!" Ruby cried as the academy's airship flew over their heads and to the east.

"Uh, where are they going?" Yang asked. "The fight's down here."

"They're heading back to Beacon." Weiss swallowed. "To the walls..."

Everyone's stomachs sank. Despite the gruesome scenes on the ground if the walls fell then there would be nothing left of the city to salvage. They had spent the better part of two days in such a city. Grimm from hundreds of miles away would sense the attack and every monster from Forever Fall to the southern tip of Mt. Glenn would be on the city's doorstep.

Blake's ears under her bow twitched and she craned her neck up at the sky at a dark object falling.

"We've got company." She announced in an amused tone.

The flood of Grimm had begun their charge again but what held the team's attention was the pink meteor flying towards them and its singsong like voice.

_"I'M QUEEN OF THE CASTLE! I'M QUEEN OF THE CASTLE!"_

Over a dozen Grimm were crushed and twice as many were sent sprawling as another crater was formed under the feet of a short, stocky girl carrying a large hammer.

"Nora!" Ruby cried overcome with joy.

The girl smiled hearing her name and swung her weapon in a circle and with a giggle she charged through the Creeps, Beowolves, and Ursa as pink explosions and cries from dying Grimm followed her, along with a happy hum.

Ruby began to follow as well but her sister grabbed her by the cape.

"Nope not happening." Yang shook her head at her sister's puppy eyes. "I'm not getting anywhere near that hammer and neither are you."

"But-"

The blonde shook her head again refusing to listen. She had been on the receiving end of friendly fire FAR too many times courtesy of Nora and could still remember the watermelon hammer and the bird's nest in her hair.

"We have civilians to take care of." Weiss stated as she began reloading her dust cylinder. Blake and Yang nodded with Ruby a second behind and began dropping empty magazines on the ground. Ruby switched to a higher caliber and frowned at how light her ammo pouch was becoming.

_*twitch*_

"Looks like she has backup." Blake remarked not even glancing up.

Three more figures landed, one of which stumbled and had to be straightened by a tall red head who quickly apologized.

"Pyrrha!" The team cried.

The amazon turned and waved to team RWBY who awkwardly waved back at the polite girl from Mistral.

Ren barely gave them a second glance though as he ran straight for his partner ducking his head before it was taken off by Magnhild. Yang gave Ruby a look as if to say, _Told ya so._

Jaune thanked his own partner but bashed a Beowolf in the face with its shield when it tried to flank her. Pyrrha repaid the favor by decapitating it and half a dozen others for him.

Side by side they ran into the hoard of Grimm stabbing and slashing whatever came their way. The two pairs worked like well oiled machines drawing all the Grimm to them and away from their sister team.

The caped-girl couldn't help but marvel at how well they worked together but couldn't help but cringed a little as an Ursa Major's skull was cracked by Nora's hammer and rang throughout the plaza. Ren stood beside her but with his innate ability to sense aura ducking under her hammer came as naturally to him as breathing. While she slaughtered, he fired Stormflower into their legs allowing his partner to kill Grimm with even greater ease while he stayed protected by her longer reach.

Yang leaned over her sister's shoulder and pulled her hood back down.

"Come on sis," She whispered. "we've got work to do."

Ruby slowly nodded and hobbled off to help the injured citizens that had escaped the battle and to possibly get into the fight again.

Both Blake and Weiss turned to Yang not needing to be told what priority number one was.

_Watch out for Ruby, everything else comes second._

It was the unwritten commandment of team RWBY that everyone but its leader obeyed.

The huntresses in training scattered and went to work gathering civilians together and seeing to their needs but someone was always keeping a close an eye on the caped-girl who didn't seem to notice her every movement being monitored.

Blake used her superior senses to locate the living among the dead. Having lived outside the kingdoms her entire life she had stumbled across villages that had been sacked by Grimm and had unwanted experience in situations like these. Without hospitals on the other side of the walls she had also learned how to patch herself and others back together, but those beyond her skills she handed over to Weiss, the unofficial medic of the team.

Although she was running low on aura the heiress could still activate small glyphs and use Myrtenaster to close major wounds with ice or cauterize them with fire. It wasn't pleasant but it was what she had trained for and while the sight of blood still made her nauseous she fought the urge to vomit and cared for each of her patients.

While her friends worked on the injured Yang gathered civilians who carried weapons and ordered them to take the children and injured as far away from this breach and others as possible. With her eyes glowing red and authority in her voice no one questioned the huntress. She would also often join JNPR in the battle to grab civilians or to simply let out her aggression. She told herself it was to save their lives but she did find herself getting distracted by an occasional Grimm that looked at her or her sister the wrong way.

Ruby had kept a small med-kit in Crescent Rose but she'd given Blake and Weiss what little bandages and antibiotics she had leaving her with corgi shaped band-aids that did little more than make a few children smile.

After she had given them all her supplies her hand had drifted to the bottle of pain killers she'd hidden in her ammo pouch down in the tunnels when her team wasn't looking. It had been after an internal debate and a heavy sigh that she had given the bottle up. They hadn't asked why she'd been carrying it but her partner did eye her suspiciously.

A part of Ruby wished she had kept one or two pills for herself. It would have been easy to convince herself that as a huntress she needed it more. The numbness had been wearing off and the overwhelming pain was creeping back, but she reminded herself that there were others who needed the medicine more. She could deal with pain as that was her job but knowing that someone else was in agony when she could have helped was too much guilt for her guilty conscience. Ruby had enough of that on her mind already...

She helped who she could but once the battle drew further away and her feet began to burn and could no longer find anyone to help she sat atop her weapon and gazed at the city skyline wondering how this could have happened to the great City of Vale. She lowered her face remembering what Torchwick had said to her. This was all her fault.

After some time had passed while she was a prisoner in her own mind she noticed the shadow of a bow and a mane appear on the pavement causing Ruby to quickly wipe her cheeks and mutter something about the rain which had stopped some time before. She had to at least try and look strong for her team.

"I think that's everyone." Blake reported in hollow tone.

_Not all of them._ Ruby thought to herself while doing her best not to look down at the bodies strewn across the ground but finding it impossible. She could feel her stomach twist into knots as her mind went back to Patchwork.

Yang coiled her arm around her sister and flared her semblance to warm her.

"You did great sis." She cooed brushing her hair. "Everything's fine now, just relax."

Ruby leaned her head against her sister and looked up. Yang wished her lilac eyes would return to comfort her little sister but she fought the urge for her sake and her friends'. She had to keep her fire burning for as long as they were in danger.

Weiss kicked some gravel as she arrived and leaned against Crescent Rose.

"That's all of them." Weiss breathed wiping her brow.

Again Ruby had to resist the urge to correct her partner.

"What's that?" Yang asked pointing at the heiress' right hand which was wrapped in a piece of cloth now stained with blood.

Her eyes lit up and she tightened it.

"A handsome young boy with a puppy nose gave this to me because he doesn't like seeing beautiful ladies hurt."

"He thought you were a lady?" Yang quipped nudging her sister. "He must have missed the blood in your hair and the fact you haven't showered in days."

Weiss scowled but looked down at the sorry state of her cloths and reluctantly agreed. She dusted herself off and straightened her torn jacket that was also stained red. Yang made a circle around her face and Weiss wiped it with her dirty sleeve causing even more harm.

"Better?" Weiss asked.

"Perfect." Yang deadpanned which earned her a small chuckle from Blake but her sister remained silent.

"Oh," Weiss blinked noticing their eyes on the caped-girl. "I almost forgot."

She dug her hand in her dust pouch and pulled out a few magazines that looked as though they might fit a sniper rifle.

"A dust shop had these in a display case." She placed them in Ruby's ammo pouch but she didn't seem to notice.

"You stole them?" Yang raised a brow and glanced over to Blake who smiled.

"And you didn't get any for us?"

"Humph." Weiss huffed ignoring their jab."I was lucky finding ammo that actually fits Crescent Rose and if you hadn't noticed finding ammo for you three isn't easy. I'd also rather eat Yang's cooking again than fill Myrtenaster with sub-par dust crystals from another company." She held her nose and shivered as if the thought repulsed her.

"I did however leave some pocket change on the counter and wrote a quick thank you note to the owner." She confirmed.

Yang snorted at what pocket change must be to a Schnee. She was sure it was more than a dust shop owner made in an entire year.

"Well at least he'll be able to retire early." Blake remarked dryly.

"Why did you bring your wallet on a mission?"

Before the heiress could answer she was interrupted from across the plaza.

"Would someone please explain what's going on?!"

The girls glanced over hearing Jaune's voice and noticed the hoard of Grimm had been either defeated or driven off and now their sister team was coming to regroup. They were out of breath but seemed to have left the battle with only a few scrapes and cuts.

"Ruby!?" Pyrrha cried as she noticed the caped-girl sitting. "What are you doing out of the hospital?"

The whole team seemed taken aback by her recovery except Nora who was bouncing up and down.

"Did my masterpiece make you all better?" She beamed pulling out a pink crayon.

Ruby sighed and Yang could sense her sister wasn't in a talking mood.

"We can catch up later guys," She said playing with Ruby's hair. "right now all you need to know is that the city is full of Grimm."

"Yeah, we noticed." Jaune breathed. "We were at Ren's-"

The other boy coughed causing the leader to pause and scratch the back of his neck.

"Uh, I mean, we were in one of the nearby village when we heard the sirens. Professor Port sent us ahead to defend the eastern walls but when we saw you in the plaza Nora jumped out the bullhead." Jaune took a deep breath seemingly pleased with his explanation but also a little terrified as he realized what they'd done.

"You're welcome." Nora said which earned her a grateful thumbs up from Yang.

Ren looked away into the distance and Nora noticing put an arm on his shoulder but he didn't respond.

Weiss narrowed her eyes sensing something was off with their story. Being from Atlas she wasn't an expert on where the villages around Vale were located but she was positive there weren't any in the south which was where the bullhead had been flying in from. The heiress wasn't the type of person to let an issue go but she was willing to make an exception since they'd probably saved their lives.

"Who could do this?" Pyrrha choked breathing the air and tasting smoke.

"Who else?" Blake muttered casting her eyes to the ground. "Roman Torchwick...and the White Fang."

No one didn't seem surprised by the culprits but what they were looking at seemed unfathomable.

Jaune swallowed. "Okay, so what's the plan? We saw a lot of breaches when we were flying over and the walls were being rushed on every side."

All eyes naturally turned to Ruby who was still sitting on Crescent Rose letting her feet dangle. She had barely heard a word they'd said but with the plaza cleared there was only one thing to do.

She reached for her pocket scroll and sighed when she realized it wasn't there. "Weiss, pull up a map of the city please."

The heiress complied and a highlighted map of the City of Vale appeared on her screen for everyone to see.

Ruby pointed with a not so steady hand. "We're here in the Central Plaza on the outskirts of the residential district. Looks like we rode the train through the agriculture and industrial districts to get here."

JNPR glanced at each other wondering if they'd heard her right.

"What train?" Jaune asked. "You mean the one in Forever Fall?"

Ruby ignored him as her finger followed a tunnel she had always assumed to be for sewage or dust cables but had been in fact the old subway between cities.

Blake pointed to the northeast to even more fires. "Looks like the train went through the barricade and kept going."

"That'd be the heart of the commercial district." Ruby said glancing at the CCT in the distance and feeling a stinging sensation in her toes.

"Where are the huntsmen?" Yang questioned causing everyone to turn. "Or our military for that matter? Shouldn't they be here with us?"

Ruby shook her head. "Most of the huntsmen are gone remember? They're with the freshmen students on their first missions."

The blonde swallowed having forgotten that their team had been the last to leave along with most of the senior students.

"And those that are left will probably head to the walls." Pyrrha added.

Everyone took a deep breath knowing what it would mean if the walls were to crumble. Team RWBY had spent two days in such a city and despite Jaune occasionally sleeping through history class even he knew about how the lost city had fallen.

Ren sighed never taking his eyes off the horizon. "And Grimm from all over the kingdom will sense the attack. The military will have to protect the villages so they aren't wiped out either."

"What about Atlas?" Yang's voice hardened. "Ironwood brought all those airships to the city so what are they waiting for?"

Her eyes naturally fell to Weiss who glanced over to the northwestern side of the city where the tallest houses and apartments in the city were.

"We saw them." Jaune said avoiding the heiress' eyes. "Most of them were at the walls when we flew over but-"

"A lot of them were heading to the northwest side of the city." Pyrrha finished causing the heiress to sigh.

"What?" Yang shook her head. "But that doesn't make sense. Why would they send troops to the safest part of the city?"

Blake snorted indignantly causing everyone to glance over at the usually quiet and somber girl. She lifted her arms as if the answer should be obvious.

"Because if the city falls Atlas wants to make sure they get their students and pampered citizens back home."

She shot an accusatory glance the heiress' way who met her in the eyes.

"The rest of us can be left to the Beowolves for all they care." She spat.

"Their duty is to Atlas first." Weiss defended. "They're just doing their job."

She didn't sound entirely convinced but they were her people and the military was funded by her family. Any insult to Atlas was also an insult to her. It had once been her family's kingdom after all.

"And what about the faunus in the slums?" Blake snapped. "What about the rest of the people who didn't come from Atlas and don't live on the rich side of town? They're probably shipping dust back home right now!"

Her voice was rising wanting an answer from the heiress but when she didn't get one she turned as if to leave.

"Blake!?" Ruby cried standing up. "Where are you going?"

The girl in black paused and looked back at the team and her expression softened.

"Some of the faunus that live on the bad side of town don't have homes and will be the last ones to get help."

"But-"

Blake held up her hand as if to silence her and she stared at the ground...watching a pebble move.

_Please don't go again. _Ruby's mind begged. She needed her team with her. They were the only ones keeping her going and it seemed like at every turn her team was splitting up or being separated. As their leader she couldn't help but feel responsible each time.

Weiss stepped forward and grabbed the faunus' arm but froze seeing the color in the girl's face drain.

Her bow was twitching from side to side and the reason she was staring at the pavement was because it was moving.

_TTTSSSSRRRRRAAAAA!_

Both teams flinched as the roar came from the ground beneath their feet which began to shake.

Yang cursed and grabbed her sister by the arm. Realization was clear on both of their faces along with terror.

"Um, what was that?" Weiss squeaked unsure if she wanted to know.

Ruby pulled her hood up and chambered a round in Crescent Rose.

"Oobleck," She whispered. "he said he'd hold it off..."

Everyone glanced over to the sisters who were exchanging worried expressions.

"Well he did." Yang swallowed. "Just not long enough."

Jaune unsheathed his sword and shook his head causing his blond hair to fall in his eyes.

"Was that I think it is?" He moaned looking at his fellow leader.

"A Deathstalker." She said meekly.

"A really big one." Yang informed.

The ground opened up and Jaune's scream was almost higher than Weiss' as a golden orb soared above their heads. Both teams craned their necks back and gawked at how the white tail wider than a tree trunk rose above the small shops and buildings seemingly into the clouds.

"Pretty." Nora awed while taking a picture.

Blake heard the pavement crack before she saw it.

"RUN!" She cried.

The pavement began to fall as everyone dived out of the way looking for solid ground.

_TTTSSSSRRRRRAAAAAAAA!_

The Deathstalker's pincers opened the pavement as if it were wrapping paper and its pure white body rose from the depths.

Its claws were the size of large buses and its spiky legs resembled something that would support a bridge. Three of its red eyes were swollen shut with burns but the others were wide open staring at the city is was about to raze. The teams however couldn't help but fixate on the beautiful golden orb hanging in the air. They could even see their reflections despite it being so high up.

The giant scorpion roared again and just by stretching its claws out it tore a line of buildings in half and sent dozens of cars flying in the other direction.

"Anyone have a plan?" Weiss whimpered as she watched a truck fly into the air with no sign of coming back down.

"Try not to die?" Blake suggested.

"Anyone have a _good _plan?" Yang asked before cracking her knuckles.

Ruby bit her lip and glanced at JNPR who had once killed a Deathstalker during initiation but that one was dwarfed in comparison and this one rivaled even the Goliaths in size.

_God help us._

She began to feel incredibly small and despite her sister's warm arm wrapped around her, she still felt a bitter chill in her body. The numbness she was feeling wasn't coming from the medicine, it was terror. People were going to die if she didn't come up with a plan.

"What do we do Jaune?" Pyrrha asked keeping her voice low.

The blond boy was silent and his eyes remained captivated by the glowing yellow orb he had once thought to be a relic.

The amazon glanced back to her sister team and frowned. Ruby looked as though she'd been in a fire before falling through several panes of glass, and then had been on the losing side of a fight with a Beowolf. Her right arm was curled up to her chest which she recognized as an injured shoulder and the young girl kept shifting her weight between feet.

She still couldn't understand how Ruby was out of the hospital but it was clear that was where she belonged.

Pyrrha turned her attention to Weiss and Blake who had similar cuts as their leader but it seemed most of their injuries had closed. Weiss had a bandage around her head but the bleeding had stopped some time before. Unlike their leader there was also a shine to both of their skin.

Yang looked the most intact of her team with just a makeshift bandage around her hand but even she looked exhausted. Pyrrha had sparred with the blonde on several occasions and right now her semblance was burning brighter than she'd ever seen and power was radiating off of her. With her hand around her sister the aura was calm and sober but she knew once Ruby was out of the picture it would become violence incarnate. But she also knew it wouldn't stay kindled forever.

They all looked as though they'd been through a war zone and had barely made it out with their lives.

"Jaune," She whispered into his ear urgently. "what do we do? Team RWBY needs us to take the lead."

The Deathstalker continued to roar swinging its claws but eventually it would grow tired of stretching its limbs.

"We have to stop it." He said simply shaking his head.

"Then what do we do?"

Jaune looked between his team and the one to his left taking deep breaths and desperately looking for their second wind.

"Pyrrha," He said finally. "you and I will take the front just like last time. We're the only ones with shields who can slow it down."

The amazon glanced at the giant pincers and then at their tiny in comparison shields. She noted how her partner's hand was shaking slightly and slowly nodded.

"Nora," He sighed glancing down seeing her bouncing on the balls of her feet. "break its legs."

The hammer girl saluted and tried to run off but was stopped by Ren grabbing her by the collar.

"Not yet." He chided.

Jaune continued. "Shoot its legs out with your grenade launcher and only use your hammer if you can get close."

She would have saluted again but was too busy running in place as she was held back by her partner.

"Ren," He said lastly taking a breath and keeping his voice low. "The village will be alright I promise."

"We can worry about that later." Ren answered not taking his eyes off the hammer girl.

Jaune nodded. "Right, look for weak points under its belly and keep an eye on Nora. Make sure she doesn't do anything stu-"

"Anything that Nora would normally do." He finished. "Always."

"Alright-"

Knuckles popped behind him and Jaune couldn't help but feel as though it had been a warning.

"What about us?" Yang asked slightly annoyed as she wasn't used to being ignored.

Jaune swallowed as he could feel the air getting warmer.

"You four stay back and provide covering fire for us."

Weiss being used to being a support fighter turned to Yang and Blake who looked down at their weapons as if to ask, _Are you serious?_

Even Ruby shook her head despite having a sniper rifle.

"Not happening." She said simply with an edge in her voice.

"But you four are exhausted." Jaune replied shaking his head. "Let us take the front line and you'll be our backup."

The caped-girl held up her scythe that was slightly taller than him.

"My team is no one's backup," She snapped. "and I have a plan."

Her sister smirked and even Weiss and Blake couldn't suppress their pleasure as Ruby's cape began flowing against the wind. Their leader was back.

All of JNPR were surprised with Ruby's tone and her fierce silver eyes. Jaune wanted to argue but her scythe and sister standing beside her made him nervous.

Ruby glanced at Weiss looking for strength. "Think you've got enough for Ice Flower and a few glyphs?"

There was a hint of doubt in the heiress' cool eyes but she masked it with confidence that fooled everyone but her partner.

"More than enough." She huffed forcing Ruby to nod and move on.

"Blake, you've got the most aura left on the team so you're moving to the front with Yang. Tie up as many legs as you can with Gambol Shroud while Yang breaks a few with Nora and wait for Bumblebee's signal."

Both girls nodded and Yang rubbed her sister's back being mindful of her burns, bruises, and cuts.

"The underbelly will be crowded," Ruby continued. "so Ren will move up and attack the tail's midsection. I'll mark the spot where I want to to use your aura."

Ren turned to his leader who slowly nodded his approval. Despite her condition he trusted the caped-girl with his life and his teammates'. He had patterned his team on her's after all and spent countless hours watching and learning from her.

"Sounds like a plan." Yang decided cracking her knuckles once again. "Let's hope _he _cooperates."

The Deathstalker roared again and the team noticed it was staring back at them absorbing every little detail. They all felt goosebumps realizing the creature was thinking and it saw four weakened huntresses standing together. It had been so very long since it had last eaten...

The beast was ancient that much they could tell by its size and white armor, and with age came intelligence and Ruby couldn't help but look into its eyes and wonder if the Deathstalker could have bested Weiss in a game of chess.

Blake's ears twitched a second too late for her to warn her friends.

The golden stinger snapped forwards causing Jaune and Pyrrha to raise their shields while their teammates grabbed hold of them and were thrown several yards on their backs by the impact.

With an arm still around her sister Yang dived out of the way landing on her side protecting Ruby who still groaned. Blake easily dodged landing on her feet but Weiss was on her backside staring face to face with a golden version of herself as if it were a mirror. She decided there must have been something wrong with the reflection though as she hardly recognized herself.

Blake helped her up while Yang set Ruby on her feet and kissed the back of her head before straightening her hood.

"Be safe." She said and her sister told her to do the same.

"Okay, like we planned." Ruby fired her rifle at the tail's midsection sending her backwards. "Weiss, with me!"

"Good luck." The heiress said to her teammates before following her partner.

Weiss hated to leave Blake and Yang to fight the monstrosity but knew she'd only be a target in the front. With Ruby injured her spot was beside her supporting their teammates and friends.

"Don't do anything stupid." She yelled.

Before Yang could come up with a cleaver, darn near ingenious retort, a giant white pincer came flying towards her destroying light poles and leveling shops. She readied for semblance for the blow with a wild grin on her face while Blake backed away.

Pyrrha and Jaune arrived just in time with their shields raised and quickly planted their feet protecting their friends but they could feel every bone in their bodies rattle as the Deathstalker raked their defense for a second time. They gritted their teeth as the ground began to crumble as their auras expanded.

Their feet were dragging despite their immense strength but something began to reinforce their legs forcing them to look down. Black gravity glyphs courtesy of the heiress.

"Riposte!" Pyrrha cried.

In unison their auras shined as they batted the pincer away and their swords slashed leaving thin scratches in the ivory armor. Both warriors grimaced seeing how little their attacks were doing and quickly raised their shields again for another attack.

Crescent Rose fired over their shoulders into the beast's red eyes but it didn't even acknowledge it. Luckily her teammates did.

"Now!" Blake shouted running past Yang and diving between the Grimm's pincers and through its tree trunk like legs while ducking under spikes that protruded from its underbelly.

Not trusting her speed or reflexes the blonde simply ran around the monster as she heard Gambol Shroud being fired and saw the ribbon wrapped around one of Blake's hands while she began tying legs together.

The Deathstalker took a step forward pushing both Pyrrha and Jaune but also lifting Blake high into the air. Her head whipped back from the sudden movement and her feet dangled off the ground.

"BLAKE!" Nora cried mid-swing of her hammer.

Her eyes went wide as one of the scorpion's spikes pierced the faunus' chest.

"NO!" She charged forward.

A dark shadow fell over the hammer girl and Yang tackled her to the ground before she could be crushed by the Deathstalker.

"She's fine look!" Yang pointed.

The clone disappeared and Blake landed on the ground like a cat with the black ribbon now between her teeth. Her bow twitched as another spike missed her head but not without taking a few strands of hair.

It made Yang's stomach churn seeing her partner's clone _die_ but she could never take her eyes off the shadow until it was clear she was just that.

The hammer girl looked down at the beast's foot print and couldn't help but imagine herself flat as a pancake which made her stomach grumble.

"Nora!"

She turned just as her partner leaped into the air.

Naturally she raised her hammer and the second his feet landed fired a pink blast which rocketed him into the air and towards the mark Crescent Rose had made. He slammed Stormflower into the tail's midsection but its blades bounced off the white armor forcing him to grab hold with his bare hands as if he were free climbing.

He took a deep breath and his hands began to glow white from the amount of aura pulsing through his palms. Normally his aura was strong enough to destroy a Grimm's armor with a simple push but the giant's tail wasn't even scratched.

Ren glanced down and despite years of experience following Nora up tall trees and mountains his stomach almost turned inside out. Not only from the height but also seeing how small his friends looked compared to the ancient scorpion.

The Deathstalker was swinging its pincers at Jaune and Pyrrha with surprising agility and precision. The amazon's hands and eyes were glowing, a sign of her semblance being active and both their swords and shields had a faint shine. She was keeping them coordinated against the assault that was trying to open up their defenses. The beast wasn't simply attacking without thinking, it was trying to out maneuver them and catch them off guard. Something that wasn't possible against the amazon in Ren's mind, but he could see they were being overpowered by even the simplest of attacks.

Glancing to the side he was barely able to follow Blake's movements as she moved between legs and dodged spikes. While she was trying not to be impaled, Nora and Yang were busy slamming their hammer and fists repeatedly in the armor but they constantly had to be on the move so they weren't crushed.

His partner was causing damage and he could see bits of armor fly off but Yang was on a different level while keeping a healthy distance from Nora's hammer. Large chunks were being torn off by her gauntlets but she was finding her opportunities harder to find as the Deathstalker began predicting her moves. It was as if the beast knew where they'd be and waited for them both.

An icy casting exploded next to Ren's head causing him to nearly lose his grip. In the distance his sharp eyes caught a red cape blowing in the wind. Ruby had her sniper rifle set atop a car while Weiss was creating ice glyphs at the end of the barrel. He saw the muzzle flash and naturally flinched again.

The shot hit the black mark by his head as did the one after that and the one after that. No matter how much the tail swayed the shots were precision perfect, a testament to Ruby's marksmanship. Ren's brow raised though as he noticed something familiar encased in the ice. Something purple...

_One of Weiss' dust crystals? _He wondered having no memory of the girl using a purple vial in her weapon before.

As his mind thought back to the school cafeteria he noticed the bullets were within now inches of his fingers and were no longer castings of ice. He had to fight the urge to withdraw his hand as Ruby's heavy ammo was actually starting to penetrate the armor.

Ren felt something slip between his fingers and saw the white armor cracking as his aura combined with Crescent Rose were doing more damage than he'd realized.

Before he had time to celebrate though he heard the Deathstalker roar and saw a giant claw swinging at him.

Ren's eyes widened as he braced his aura and raised his feet hoping to use the pincer's momentum just like he'd learned from his partner and team RWBY's sisters.

The impact felt like a brick wall running into him but he found some solace seeing more of the white armor crumble from the Deathstalker's own attack. He could even see a trickle of black tar running down the tail, but he cringed as the buildings he was flying towards got closer and closer. His aura shielding was sub-par at the best of times but now his defenses was completely drained.

Despite his unease he didn't bother calling out for help as he knew who was on their way, and the pain he was bracing for wasn't going to come from the building.

_"I've got you!"_ Nora sang.

He closed his eyes before saying a small prayer and heard the familiar ring of Magnhild and a second later it felt as though a cannonball be shot into his chest and all the air escaped his lungs.

Warm arms wrap around him and could hear his partner humming as they sailed through an actual brick wall, a window, and several other walls before finally landing in a small office surrounded by empty cubicles.

They rolled on the floor before finally coming to a stop with him laying on top of her.

"Well this isn't awkward." Nora noted, not that she was really complaining though.

"_Ahhh!_" He groaned between his teeth and rolled off of her.

"You okay?" She asked sitting up.

He nodded but the act looked painful.

"What's important is that you're okay." He said holding his ribs wondering if they'd been cracked. "You're the one who went through the window and walls."

Nora blinked not having really noticed anything but his arms...and possibly the diner they'd flown over before crashing.

He pulled a piece of sheet rock from her hair and tossed it aside.

She tapped his nose. "Boop."

He grinned and returned the gesture.

"You need to get back out there." He said getting to his feet and pulling her up. "They'll be needing your hammer."

"Will-"

"I'll be fine." He answered. "I'll be down in a minute when I find the stairs."

She nodded and after another nose tap she jumped out of the building and rode her hammer to rejoined Yang and Blake as if nothing had ever happened.

Down below and a block away the Deathstalker was moving forward pushing Jaune and Pyrrha despite the gravity glyphs. The warriors were shoulder to shoulder with their shields raised high against the enormous pincers crashing down on them. Each blow felt like a mountain being slammed against them and they had long since lost feeling in their arms and legs.

Pyrrha was having trouble guarding and riposting the right pincer as her shield was on her left arm. She had taken the more difficult side to ease her inexperienced partner's burden but now it seemed she had taken on too much. The only reason she could still hold her heavy shield up was because of her semblance moving her metal armor and weapons.

Jaune for his part was holding his ground but could feel his partner pulling him back whenever he strayed too far or let his inexperience show. Somehow he was keeping up with the immense strength of the Deathstalker without losing his footing but he was tiring quickly and was relying more and more on his partner's semblance.

The beast roared in annoyance as its prey guarded once again and raised it's pincers to finally crush them. It was done playing games. Its limbs no longer felt stiff and the beast was ready to raze the city and eat once again.

Both warriors raised their shields and braced their auras for the impact. As the pincers fell their knees buckled and every bone in their bodies reverberated from the blow. Their auras expanded and the ground began to crumble.

They cried out in pain and the Deathstalker roared once again as they fell to their knees with their shields over their heads. They were completely covered in darkness as the claws blocked out nearly all light but their own. The glyphs at their feet turned white reversing the gravity but didn't seem to make a difference.

Jaune could feel his partner's aura faltering. She had been coordinating their movements the entire fight and now she was spent. Opening his eyes he could see her aura blinking in and out, but she was roaring with the Deathstalker refusing to give up despite the way her shield was shaking and beginning to crack just like his own.

The more Jaune focused on his unrelenting partner the more he noticed the world lighting up. He glanced down and saw his skin was glowing and realized what he had to do. He had felt this power once before.

"An Arc never goes back on their word!" He told her.

A white light engulfed Jaune and Pyrrha as he rose to his feet and the claws were pushed back. For the first time in centuries the Deathstalker remembered what pain felt like as the armor began tearing away.

"That's why my family's symbol is the rainbow!"

The beast took half a step back shaking the ground as it did while the knight fell back to his knees beside his partner.

"Jaune!?" She cried as his head lay on her shoulder.

"Told you…" He mumbled sleepily.

A shadow fell over their heads and Pyrrha snapped her head up the golden orb was falling straight towards them. She hugged her partner and grimaced.

"BUMBLEBEE!" Ruby screamed on the other side of the plaza.

Blake threw Gambol Shroud's ribbon to Yang who planted her feet and pulled with all her might to knock the Deathstalker off balance causing it to collapse several trees and shops in the process. The faunus swore that the entire planet must have shaken as it tripped but she could see it already getting back on its feet.

A cloud of rose petals appeared in front of Pyrrha face as Ruby swung her scythe into the midsection of the damaged tail cleaving it nearly in two leaving it dangling precariously. Again the creature howled in pain but it was soon outweighed by rage.

The caped-girl couldn't stop her momentum however and hit the ground rolling and dug her blade into the ground to finally slow her.

"WEISS!" She screamed obviously in agony.

Four black gravity glyphs appeared around the golden stinger along with a single small purple one around the tail's midsection that was beginning to lean the wrong way. The heiress cried out as she fell to her knees feeling as though her head was going to split from the strain.

She flicked her wrist and the golden stinger crashed into the Deathstalker's skull right between its swollen red eyes causing it to roar and flail its claws out. But still the beast continued on.

"NORA!" Ruby shouted.

The girl knew what to do and was excited to play this part again. She fired her weapon so she sailed through the air. When she was directly over head she swung her hammer faster than she ever had before which began blowing out pink sparks just like her glowing eyes.

She slammed her hammer into the golden stinger which pierced the Deathstalker's skull causing the beast to begin shaking as if to throw her off but she dug her heels in and pushed down with all her might but only gaining inches through its thick armor.

The sun shined on her face causing her to cast her eyes up at the gray clouds above.

Flames were stretching across the sky as Yang's hair had caught fire and her pupils couldn't be seen in her crimson eyes. Her entire body was shaking as if it could no longer contain her awesome power. She felt herself tip over the edge and willingly threw herself off as the power racing through her veins was too intoxicating to stop. She was fueled by rage and the memories of what Grimm had done to her family. They all needed to die starting with this one.

The only coherent thought she had left was expressed in a thunderous war cry.

_GRRRRRRAHHHHHHH!_

Yang extended her fist and as it connected the golden stinger pushed all the way through the Deathstalker's head and impaled the ground which began to shake. Windows from all across the plaza and parts of the district began to shatter and the shock wave of her aura caused buildings to begin leaning. Nora tightened her grip on her hammer as even she was nearly blown away.

The Deathstalker flailed its entire body and on reflex the beast's giant claw swiped at the blonde causing her to become even more furious. She raised a fiery fist and what was left of the white armor shattered and tore completely off.

A golden light enveloped Yang as the orb beneath her fist began to crack. She shielded her face and eyes while Nora simply continued to stare trying to get a better look while fumbling through her pockets looking for her scroll.

"Prett-"

The stinger exploded in a cloud of pink and red dust as Yang and Nora were sent flying through the air. Pyrrha activated her semblance raising Jaune her shields but both were carried away by the explosion along with chunks of concrete, bricks, and parts of the Deathstalker's head.

Nora curled into a ball as she skipped off the cement and finally coming to a stop. Both Jaune and Pyrrha had landed together but their thick armor and shields seemed to have mostly protected them but they were laying on the ground with only the amazon being able to prop her elbows up.

Ruby could feel her heart skip a beat as she watched her sister's head bounce off the concrete and her flames be extinguished.

"YANG!" She cried hobbling along using her scythe as a crutch. She fired her rifle for a boost but could barley hold on.

She dropped Crescent Rose and fell to her knees by her sister's side and Blake arrived a second later already pulling bandages out of her belt.

Yang and Nora may have been in the explosion together but it was obvious by looking at the two that Yang had gotten the worse of the blast having been closer. Her thick gloves had been completely ripped apart along with the bandanna around her left hand. Ember Celica had protected her arms but black tar coated the yellow paint and some of the plating was bent near the barrels.

Ruby whimpered touching the burns and gashes on her sister's face while Blake tore a bandage with her teeth and had to think back to the last time she'd actually seen her partner bleed.

"Sis?" The caped-girl whispered running her hand through her her sister's long hair.

Nora groaned as she sat up with her hammer still in her arms. Blood trickled down from her brow but she paid it no mind. Her eyes were lighting up seeing Ren approaching.

Pyrrha was helping Jaune to his feet but he seemed to be dead weight and she eventually gave up and collapsed beside him.

"Yang?" Her partner asked listening to her shallow breathing.

Blake began sprinkling water on her partner's face and blinked as she saw the feverish skin simply peeled away leaving behind pink blemishes.

The faunus turned to Ruby not believing what she was seeing. The caped-girl on the other hand wiped her misty eyes and smiled.

"I told you she's special." She sniffled.

Sometimes Blake forgot just how powerful Yang truly was.

The blonde moaned and lifted her hand slightly.

"Why are you splashing water on my face?" She groaned. "Alcohol works better...tastes better too."

"Yang!" They cried happy to see her conscious and alive.

"A girl falls asleep for two minutes and you try to drown her?" She opened her eyes which had returned to lilac which comforted them both.

Ruby laughed and hugged her sister tightly who grimaced but hugged her back twice as hard. Blake tried to shy away from their embrace but the caped-girl was too fast and she was caught in the middle.

"Please stop." She choked. "Can't...breath...going...to die now."

The sisters laughed and once they were done trying to break the shy girl's spine Yang put her head back down and smiled.

"I was awesome." She said not even attempting to be modest.

"Yep." Ruby beamed proud of her older sister. "You were all awesome."

"I could use a cat nap." Yang winked at her partner before closing them for good. "Wake me up sometime next week."

She stretched herself out and tilted her head back. "That totally counts as my kill by the way."

A second later she was snoring which made everyone but the caped-girl shake their head.

Wiping her cheek Ruby glanced at Blake with a worried smile. "I need to check on Weiss will-."

Blake nodded understanding what she was asking of her.

"I'll take care of Yang." She promised. "Go make sure Weiss' is okay."

"Thank you."

Ruby squeezed her sister's hand reassuring her she'd be right back before picking up Crescent Rose again and dragging it away. She hurried down the block where her partner was on her knees dry heaving while her head rested against Myrtenaster. Sweat poured from her pale face while her body trembled and was looking ready to pass out.

"Weiss?" Ruby asked worriedly as she stooped down. "Are you okay?"

The heiress seemed to ponder the question before nodding slightly. "I've been worse." She lied.

"I knew you could do it!" Ruby clapped.

"Well that makes one of us." Weiss wheezed. "That nearly killed me."

Ruby shook her head not believing the dramatic heiress for a second.

"I always knew you could use purple dust. You just had to try."

"All I did was make sure the stinger fell straight and let my gravity glyphs do the rest."

"You also kept Jaune and Pyrrha from being torn apart, used over a dozen ice glyphs, threw me across the plaza, and then used purple dust just like Professor Goodwitch!" She exclaimed. "You were awesome!"

Weiss groaned as if being reminded of her feats made her migraine somehow worse. "That counts as my kill by the way."

Ruby extended a hand to help her partner up but she seemed a little weary.

"You're covered in filth." Weiss complained.

The caped-girl snorted. "And have you seen yourself lately?"

Weiss muttered something and took a deep breath.

"You...are...a...dolt." Weiss said putting emphasis on every word as all her emotions released into the sentence.

Ruby tapped her foot and wiggled her dirty fingers.

"Feel better now?"

Weiss' head bobbed side to side. "Much actually."

"Alright then, let's go wake Yang up and move to another area. This isn't over yet."

Weiss kept a groan to herself but took Ruby's hand anyway.

"Can I be the one to wake up Yang? I still owe her for this morning."

"Uh-huh." Ruby said but looking around the plaza her mind was being quickly reminded how much like the lost city her home was becoming.

Grimm were still flooding the city and who knew how many breaches there were. Bodies and fallen buildings littered the streets but Ruby knew things could have been much worse if it hadn't been for her plan and Yang's semblance.

Despite wanting her revenge on the blonde for the rude wake up that morning Weiss was sharing her partner's gloomy thoughts. She glanced toward Mt. Glenn far away in the distance and all the black smoke in the sky. She narrowed her eyes as a dark cloud in the distance shifted against the wind.

_Strange…_

Ruby took a step forward almost tripping and Weiss put the cloud behind her. She needed to worry about the both of them falling over and being accidentally decapitated by Crescent Rose. For some reason the idea lightened the caped-girl's mood as the thought of dying now that the giant Deathstalker was dead seemed comedic.

"Gee Weiss," Ruby exaggerated a groan. "have you gained weight or something?"

The heiress' face turned a shade of red and looked ready to slap her partner, if she'd had the strength to raise her hand that is.

"Just kidding." Ruby giggled.

Weiss rolled her eyes but had to turn her face to hide a small grin that tugged on her lips.

"If I have, and that is a big _if_ mind you, it's probably because I broke into your _secret _stash of cookies last week for a late night snack."

Ruby stopped and let her partner go who nearly toppled over.

"That was you?" Her lip quivered. "You told me that I was eating them in my sleep again."

"I lied." She grinned devilishly.

The caped-girl looked ready to either cry or fight but Weiss laughed feeling light headed as the adrenaline was wearing off.

"Come on," She said taking the lead and letting Ruby lean against her this time. "I'll buy desert when this is over. Deal?"

Ruby nodded and together they dragged one another back to the group.

"Promise?"

"Cross my cold heart." Weiss promised.

Her partner paused for a moment and bit her lip.

"It's not as cold as you think." She told her.

To Weiss' mild annoyance there was no need to wake the blonde as she was already sitting up gulping down her bottle of water while an empty one lay at her feet. When she noticed them approaching she tossed it to Ruby who eagerly swallowed several mouthfuls of water and ended up having a coughing fit.

Weiss slapped her on the back wondering if her partner would ever learn and took the bottle from her. The heiress wiped off the top not wishing to share her teammates' germs and took a sip.

_*cough, cough*_

Ruby returned the favor and Weiss handed the bottle back to Yang but not before washing her face and wiping it clean. When she removed the handkerchief it was dark brown mixed with a little red. She tossed it aside and set it on fire with Myrtenaster. All evidence had to be destroyed.

"A bit excessive don't you think?" Blake asked with a raised brow.

The heiress ignored her and began the long task of untangling her hair.

Seeing the pale girl's face brought her the attention of team JNPR who were now on their feet and who's eye's had been drawn to the left side of her face.

"What?" Weiss asked when she realized they were staring. "Did I miss some dirt?"

"No," Pyrrha cleared her throat and everyone but Jaune glanced away. "it's nothing..."

"Then why are you staring?" Her hand slowly drifted to the now clearly visible scar normally hid under layers of makeup. No one but her teammates had ever seen the scar in it's natural state.

As Jaune continued to stare Weiss' eyes narrowed and her jaw tightened, as did her grip on Myrtenaster.

Ruby stood to her partner's back frantically waving her arms and mouthing something Jaune couldn't understand. He had survived a battle with a giant Deathstalker and she didn't want to see him lose his life now. Blake began making hand signals beside her leader but Jaune simply cocked his head confused.

If he had been able to read lips, understand sign language, or possibly had a higher value for his life he may have understood what they were saying.

_Don't mention the scar!_ They all screamed in silence.

"I never knew it was so noticeable." He said obliviously.

"What is?" She said between her teeth.

"Your sc-"

_BANG!_

Everyone jumped and stared at the caped-girl as she flew into Blake while the barrel of Crescent Rose had smoke coming from its long barrel.

"IT HAD TO BE DONE." She said quickly.

The blond knight was doubled over holding where his chest piece had blocked the round.

"Sorry Jaune but it was for your own good."

"Ow." He moaned.

Pyrrha quickly fixed the bent armor with the wave of her hand and smiled.

"I think she may have just saved your life." She pointed at Weiss who still had Myrtenaster clutched in her hand and its cylinder on a red dust vial.

Jaune gulped and quickly lifted his cracked shield.

"What was it you were saying?" She said slowly as if to draw out his execution.

"Choose your words carefully Jaune." Yang laughed finding his entire situation hilarious.

"Who me?" He squeaked. "Nothing. Only that I never noticed how the sky makes your eyes pop."

Yang glanced at the dark sky still grinning ear to ear. "Smooth."

Jaune swallowed hoping it wasn't going to be his last and when the heiress finally turned away he sighed with relief and nearly fell over. She stomped away and her team couldn't help but feel a little relieved to see an appearance of the ice queen. They knew from experience it Weiss' way of pretending things were normal.

"So what do we do now?" Jaune asked the caped-girl once he could speak again.

All eyes turned to Ruby who was barely standing on two feet. If it hadn't been for Crescent Rose she would have been on the ground like her sister.

Yang saw the weary look in her eyes and decided to speak for her.

"We just killed a giant Deathstalker guys. Can we take a minute to rest and celebrate first. We're not in the best of shape right now." She motioned at her own team then at JNPR who were looking rough.

Both Jaune and Pyrrha's shields were cracked and had used up most of their aura just to slow the beast down while it toyed with them. Yang suspected Jaune had used more aura in that fight than he ever had in his entire life and his partner looked just as tired.

Ren was hunched over holding his side but he seemed to be doing better as he willed his aura to heal his injuries. He was much more concerned for Nora who though hadn't been the one to take the brunt of the explosion like Yang, was showing battle scars and the beginnings of aura exhaustion.

Weiss was breathing heavy and on shaky legs but Yang wasn't worried. While her glyphs did consume aura it also recharged the fastest on the team and she didn't need her semblance to use Myrtenaster. Already a shine was appearing on her skin denoting the return of an aura shield.

Blake seemed to have the fewest injuries worth mentioning, proof of how she had survived outside the walls for years. Being a faunus she was also the most physically fit person on the team and naturally stronger than a regular human. She also didn't need much aura to use her semblance for that matter.

_We'll have to move her to the front with me. _She thought to herself already planning ahead.

Yang herself had been through an explosion and was feeling the effects. Her semblance had been completely shut down when the blast had knocked her momentarily unconscious. She found it to be a blessing in disguise though as if she hadn't then her semblance would have just gotten stronger and kept burning. Now at least she could rest her aura and while her's didn't recharge nearly as quickly as Blake or Weiss' she had the largest aura pool on the team. Even combined her team didn't have a well like her's.

And then there was Ruby…

Her baby sister wasn't looking good.

She was shifting her weight from foot to foot and it looked as though even a slight breeze might knock her over. Yang couldn't find a single spot of skin or cloth that hadn't been burned, cut, or bruised. Her dark hair was matted from layers of dirt which had to constantly be brushed out of her eyes. Her skin was incredibly pale and air couldn't seem to satisfy her starving lungs. She hung her head and took a seat on Crescent Rose and a second later Weiss joined her to clean her nails.

_She needs to be in the hospital._ Yang thought to herself.

Her first priority in life was to her baby sister, but Ruby's priority was always everyone else first. The blonde was trying to respect her sister's wishes and her own huntress training but the closer she examined her the more her stomach sank.

She let her head lean back and eyes close. Lying on the ground was the most relaxation her body had gotten in two days. As much as she wanted to drag Ruby by the cape back to Beacon's medical wing her body was staying there in protest.

_We're safe here right? _She peaked around and didn't see any more Grimm rising from the abyss. _Maybe we killed all the Grimm or maybe the Deathstalker scared them off._

She allowed her tired body to relax and felt her sore muscles loosen. Something stung her arm which she slapped away. When it happened again she glanced down at the black tar covering her arms. She was slightly repulsed by the sight of the Deathstalker's _blood _but knew it wouldn't be long before the tar evaporated possibly leaving a stain on her gauntlets which she'd have to clean.

The blonde slapped her arm again and this time Blake glanced down.

"You okay?"

"Yeah..." She answered unsure.

Yang had years of experience killing with her fists to know first hand that the tar like substance left over by Grimm wasn't supposed to sting. It might smell rancid and feel uncomfortable but a dead Grimm couldn't hurt a human.

_A dead Grimm._

She glanced over to the headless Deathstalker just as its leg twitched.

"Oh my God!" Weiss shrieked and several others shared her sentiment.

As the Deathstalker rose the team could see through its missing head at darkness as buckets of tar fell to the ground making a swimming pool beneath.

It was as if all the air had been sucked out of the plaza leaving both teams light headed.

"NO!" Yang shouted in fury. "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD! MY ARMS ARE COVERED IN YOUR STUPID BRAINS THAT MEANS YOU'RE DEAD!"

The Grimm responded with an impossible cry that sounded as though it was drowning in its own tar. It only made the blonde more furious but had to be caught by her partner as she tried to stand. She muttered several of her favorite curses under her breath and even a few new ones for the occasion.

As if in retaliation the Grimm slammed its broken pincer into the ground missing the teams but causing the ground to shake.

Ruby had never felt so demoralized in her life seeing the Deathstalker still alive. Her plan had failed and they had little to show for it. Yang and Nora were both teams' heaviest hitters and now couldn't even stand without their partners help. The stone wall of Pyrrha and Jaune had crumbled and their shields broken. Weiss had given it every thing she had and Ren was holding onto his ribs having trouble breathing.

She glanced at Blake who was the only one on her feet who wasn't needing someone else to lean on and the only one still technically fit for battle. The caped-girl yelped as she let herself down off of Crescent Rose and had to nudge Weiss off so she could walk with her _crutch_.

Putting herself half a step in front of the faunus she leaned against her weapon and looked up. Blake glanced down at her leader's silver eyes and knew what they were asking. Blake was the only one who could still fight, but Ruby would never send a member of her team into battle alone.

Blake pulled Ruby's hood up over her head and instantly felt disgusted with herself for breaking the unwritten commandment and felt like a traitor to her best friend and partner. Despite Ruby's leadership and ferocity in combat she still couldn't help but see the girl as the kid sister of the team who had chocolate stains on all her cloths and occasionally had to be carried to bed.

_Ruby's also a prodigy and more of a huntress than you'll ever be. _She reminded herself.

"Weiss." Blake said as the heiress joined the team. "Take Yang for minute."

"What? Why?"

The faunus practically threw her partner off her shoulder into the waiting arms of Weiss who was nearly knocked over by the larger girl.

"Blake what are you doing?" Yang questioned with wide eyes as Weiss strained to support her.

The faunus glanced at Ruby and put the kid sister thought out of her mind and focused on the girl who had led them into battle countless times and had probably killed more Grimm in two days than the entire team combined.

"We're going to hold it off." She said simply.

"What?" They cried.

When she didn't answer Ruby turned around to face her sister and partner but her hood kept her from looking them in the eyes.

"No," Ruby said with an edge to her voice. "We're not going to hold it off. We're gonna kill it."

Both Yang and Weiss were too shocked to speak but JNPR who were standing off to the side quickly understood what she was saying.

"What about us?" Jaune demanded short of breath. "This is our fight too."

"You don't think we can handle this?" Nora asked slightly hurt.

_*twitch*_

Blake looked above their heads and opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by the caped-girl.

"You were all great Nora." Ruby said looking her in the eyes. "But you guys aren't much better off than us. Blake and I are the fastest ones here who can still dodge."

"Ruby," Pyrrha replied in a sad voice. "you can barely stand."

The caped-girl frowned. "No offence Pyrrha, but even if you cut my feet off I'd still be faster than you and everyone else here."

Realization spread across not only the amazon's face but also everyone else's. Ruby's tone made it clear she wasn't bluffing and the way she held her scythe let them know she'd fight anyone who tried to stop her. She might be empty on aura but she could still activate her speed since she had a physical based semblance just like her sister. Crescent Rose was also the sharpest weapon in the group and possibly needed the most skill to use.

The blind Deathstalker roared again and shook the ground with its massive claw as it missed again causing JNPR to flinch.

"You're not going." Yang said defiantly.

"Um-" Blake tried to say.

"I am and that's final." Ruby said turning to face the monster.

She could sense her sister's eyes piercing her back and could almost feel them turn red.

Yang growled and took a step forward causing her sister to take a deep breath.

Before she could charge the Deathstalker Blake reached out and grabbed her by the cape.

The caped-girl spun furious and a little disapointed that her teammate was holding her back, but noticed a wide grin spread across the faunus' face.

Along with a twitching bow...

"Weiss," Blake said looking at the sky. "I think I owe you an apology."

"Huh?"

Thunder clapped in the sky causing everyone but the faunus to jump though she did grimace slightly as her ears folded back.

Dozens of large, white bullheads hovered high above leaving the students in awe and their mouths hanging open. Emblems shined on all the airships' wings and even from such a distance they could see the cog of a gear with a spear thrust through.

"It's Atlas!" Weiss cried over the roar of engines.

She was the only one who noticed that the Schnee Dust Company symbol was slightly larger than the kingdom's and it filled the heiress' heart with warmth but then suddenly sink as she saw its red cannons light up.

"Uh Weiss," Yang stumbled. "why are they charging their weapons? They see us down here right?"

_Oh they see us all right. _She cursed.

"RUN!"

JNPR were already running by the time Blake led Ruby by the hand back to their teammates. The bullheads opened fire and it was as if the world was exploding around them causing their eyes and ears to burn.

Blake hooked her arm around Yang being the only one strong enough to carry the muscular girl and began shadow jumping. Both Ruby and Weiss were clutching Crescent Rose using its recoil while white glyphs appeared at their feet propelling them forward. A few rose petals blew in the wind and soon the team had out paced JNPR who waived them off to keep going.

Yang being little more than dead weight compared to her partner glanced behind her and saw the Deathstalker fall before disappearing in a cloud of red dust. To her shock the beast had fallen after only a single cannon blast making her realize it had already been half dead. What they had witnessed had merely been the last acts of a stubborn and dying Grimm.

She closed her eyes as a fireball lit up the entire plaza and everyone felt the fires warming the back of their necks. Neither team stopped until they were positive they were out of the bullhead's firing radius and collapsed on their knees as part of the plaza had completely disappeared under ash.

"Wow..." Was all anyone could say.

Everyone's mouths were dry and their eyes wide from the sheer might and ruthlessness of the Atlesian military.

"That counts as ours!" Yang screamed as she shook her fist at the cannons above as if daring them to fire again.

Ruby removed her face from the plaza as the flames were hurting her already misty eyes and instead on the black smoke that was beginning to fill the entire city.

_How many breaches are there?_

Blake walked away looking a little green and ready to vomit from the smell. Even Ruby was effected and covered her nose and mouth.

Weiss gritted her teeth unable to remove her cold eyes off of her family's symbol on the bullheads. If it hadn't been for her warning there wouldn't have been anything left of her and her friends.

She remembered that AA-17 bullheads' weapons were _manned _by Atlesian Knights causing her to swallow as her conversation with Yang and Blake about the spider droid haunted her.

_"I'll have you know that not shooting the heiress to the company is at the top of its priorities."_

They were all lucky she hadn't choked on those words.

_Father will hear about this._ _A__nd Winter when I see her._

"Hey guys?" Jaune's voice cracked. "What are those?"

Everyone glanced up to where he was pointing. In the sky were dozens of black shapes flying towards the airships.

"More bullheads?" Yang wondered. "Vacuo's airships black aren't they? I saw them once on a visit to Shade Academy."

"I think they're birds." Ren squinted.

Blake looked up as the feeling of nausea finally passed. "No those are-"

A giant blade sailed through an airship impaling the ground below.

Everyone blinked as they realized it was a giant feather the size of a paladin.

"NEVERMORES!" They all screamed.

Blake and Weiss thinking quicker than their partners grabbed them and ran for cover while JNPR were once again a step ahead. A whistle followed by the sound of metal being cut caused all their necks to twist and their eyes widened.

A bullhead had in cleanly split in half while another spiraled out of control.

JNPR dived behind a barricade out of the street while the fireball sent the girls flying and crawling behind a shop. They glanced over at their sister team who were waiving frantically and cupping their hands to yell but they were all lost of the roars of Nevermores and falling bullheads.

"What are they saying?" Ruby asked Blake who was busy reading their lips.

"GET DOWN!" Yang cried jumping atop her teammates as a bullhead landed on the shop and the building collapsed around them.

They disappeared under the inferno and debris of the building and bullhead.

"NO!" Jaune screamed as flames erupted in front of their eyes.

Nora was speechless as her voice was caught in the back of her throat. A Nevermore's cry caused her to cover her ears and mutter something under her breath. She buried her head in Ren's shoulder who couldn't take his eyes off of where his friends had been hiding.

Jaune ran into the street determined to save his friends somehow but felt something push him to the ground before a feather could impale him. He glanced up and saw a white shine to his armor and Pyrrha's hand raised as her semblance was activated.

"We have to help them!" Jaune cried trying to push himself up only to be dragged back by his magnetic armor.

His partner pulled behind cover and grabbed him close unable to look at the collapsed building.

Another bullhead slammed into a nearby store and a second later a wingless Nevermore landed in the streets and began to disintegrate instantly. The bombardment continued for what seemed like hours but could have only been minutes. Being impatient Jaune peaked around the corner and saw that over half of the bullheads had been taken out of the air and were quickly retreating.

He spied something green just as a rocket screeched across the sky hitting one of the giant birds in the head but this only caused the flock to turn and face their new foe. Jaune narrowed his eyes but didn't need to see the bullhead's symbols or color to know they weren't from Atlas. These were luring the Nevermores away from the civilians and out to the open plains of the agricultural district to do battle.

Once fire and blades stopped falling from the sky Pyrrha lifted her eyes to the demolished plaza and city blocks. Smoke was rising all around them causing their lungs to burn.

Jaune ran for his friends buried by the rubble dropping his weapons and began lifting by hand. His teammates quickly joined him but Nora had to be helped by Ren as she was weak and her spirit broken.

"Where are you!?" Jaune shouted.

"Ruby!" Pyrrha cried helping Jaune lift part of the crashed bullhead but finding it impossible. "Weiss! Blake! Yang!"

They continued to dig quickly losing track of time. Pyrrha had tried to use her semblance but the building had little metal to be found and the bullhead too heavy. She lifted by hand like her teammates doing her best to think positively but also preparing herself for the worst. She was a soldier and her friends trained to be the same, but that wouldn't make it any easier.

Nora was doing her best to help but just looking at the fire and debris was making her sick. The Deathstalker had taken a lot out of her but the thought of losing her best friends was too much. Ren stayed close to her but mostly remained silent as he didn't trust himself to speak.

"Ruby!" Jaune yelled for the hundredth time. Although he was two years her senior and almost twice her size he couldn't help but look up to the caped-girl. Despite everyone's respect for her, he was the only one who didn't see her as a kid. "RUBY!"

As if on cue the ground began to shake and the team was thrown off the mountain of rubble. They grimaced as they landed on their backsides but looked up when they saw someone engulfed in flames with the mountain on her shoulders.

"YANG!" They cried.

The blonde's eyes were flickering between red and lilac as if they couldn't make up their mind. Her body was tense and her head hung low but with a roar she tossed the rubble aside and fell to her knees as the fire went out.

JNPR ran up what was left of the pile to see Ruby, Weiss, and Blake sitting up shaking their heads and rubbing their temples. Shards of ice surround them but it was clear Yang had once again taken the brunt of the blast for her team and already her burns were beginning to heal.

"Yang." Her sister threw her arms around her and they fell over.

"Told you I'd take care of you sis." She said tiredly.

Even in a city full of flames and terrors Ruby felt safer than ever in her big sister's arms.

They grabbed their teammates for the embrace and not even the ice queen or the shy faunus could resist. Once again they had escaped death and were together.

"That's incredible." Jaune said in awe. His teammates could only nod in agreement and Nora blew her nose on Ren's sleeve.

Yang smiled and took a minute to catch her breath as her semblance burned out.

"No big deal." She said looking down at her sister. "That was only twenty Rubys, thirty tops. Or about fifteen Weisses."

The heiress was about to tell her off but when she saw the blonde's limp head rest against Ruby's she held her tongue. After everything the blonde had been through she deserved to have the last word.

She and Blake quickly untangled themselves from the sisters and stood up on uneasy legs. They were both scanning the skies but were looking for completely different threats. While Blake had her eyes and ears perked for Nevermores, Weiss was daring another white bullhead from her kingdom to fly over. She didn't care if it killed her she'd drag it out of the sky with all the purple dust she had.

"Looks like everyone's okay." Jaune coughed causing his partner to slap his back nearly knocking him over.

"He was a little worried." She grinned pointing at Nora who was still using her partner's sleeve as a tissue. "We all were."

Blake rubbed the back of her neck but the hand naturally shifted to fix her bow while Weiss kept the left side of her face away from her friends and towards the flames.

"Sorry..."

"How about we give them a second." Pyrrha said nodding at the sisters still in the rubble. "They look like they could use a minute."

Weiss nodded. "I think we all need one."

They walked off to the side to give them some privacy.

"You okay sis?" Yang whispered.

"Yeah. You?"

"Never better." She said honestly.

Her baby sister was alive and they were together. All was right in her world.

They didn't need to say another word to know what the other was thinking.

Ruby didn't want the moment to end. She stayed there with her sister for what felt like an eternity. A part of her was bothered that she could feel so helpless when her big sister was around but she couldn't find it within herself to care at that moment. Her big sis was the best and a the kind of huntress she wanted to be. All her friends were.

She finally opened her eyes and even more tears swelled in her eyes as the smoke caused them to sting. Blinking them away she saw something she didn't quite understand at first. Bright lights coming from the southeast and more smoke rising.

"Yang..."

The blonde opened her eyes and like her sister had to blink away tears.

"Is that-"

"The residential district." Ruby finished. "It's burning."

_Just like Patchwork..._

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Sorry for the delay but it could not be helped so thank you for being so patient. I hope the extra long chapter makes up for it and that it flows well despite its size. I had thought to split it in two but it hurt the flow in my opinion. This is basically part of the finale so I hope you don't mind. ****It was fun to write for JNPR again and despite all the action in this chapter I had a lot of fun writing the moments where the characters would catch their breath. Don't worry there is still plenty of action to come but the focus will be back on team RWBY. Thank you everyone who has supported The Petals Scatter Now and for all the kind words and encouragement. I love writing for you. Chapter 39 will take some time to finish and I'm not sure when it will be posted so please be patient and once again thank you. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless)**


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Swan Song

* * *

The AA-22 bullhead was the finest aircraft in the Atlesian military and considered a symbol of the kingdom's immense strength. A lesser model had been produced for huntsmen purposes around Remnant but the Schnee Dust Company had kept the superior model for escorting the kingdom's elite, namely the SDC's namesake.

While many other military bullheads had a shock and awe approach to battle with loud engines to startle Grimm, the AA-22 preferred to take its prey out silently with as few survivors as possible. It had been described as a technical marvel and a break through decades in the making, but to the old man who'd spent most of his long life designing it his greatest joy had come from having an airship that didn't give his two beloved granddaughters headaches.

As state of the art as the bullhead was however even the SDC's finest had avoided conflict with the flock of Nevermores that had nearly destroyed a squad of AA-17s before leveling an entire plaza. While the prized airship would have normally flown into battle without hesitation manned by the most experienced pilots and gunners the military offered, they were carrying a VIP and were under direct orders by the general himself to deliver _her_ to the perimeter walls before they could fall.

Inside the cramped airship sat over two dozen soldiers in white armor giving their weapons and equipment one last inspection out of nervous habit. A young girl however had been given space by the open doors and seemed far more concerned about the those down below rather than her destination.

Peculiar green eyes had a far away look to them but despite the smoke and ash she felt no physical discomfort. A part of her couldn't help but feel as though she should be on the ground fighting Grimm experiencing the chaos first hand. Something was drawing her out the open door and she felt something familiar the further she leaned out.

_Excitement._

The girl had been feeling a lot of that ever since her last unsupervised day in the city.

A gloved hand fell atop her's which were positioned as if they were saying a prayer. She glanced up to see a soldier sporting red shoulder pads and accents across his chest denoting him as an officer staring back at her. His upper face was hidden behind a black visor that reflected curly orange hair that partially covered her glowing eyes.

She could see herself frowning but the soldier gave a comforting smile and a gentle squeeze before releasing her hand.

"Are you alright miss Penny?" He asked keeping his voice low knowing she'd have no problem hearing him over the roaring wind.

The girl peeked down at the city before staring back at herself. She blinked several times as if to rid herself of tears that weren't there.

"I'm fine." She said playing with her thumbs.

_*hic*_

She quickly covered her mouth making it look as though she was simply wiping her chin.

"It's just," She paused glancing out the door again. "I don't understand what's going on, or why we left the squad when those black birds attacked."

Seeing the bullhead burst into flames seconds after being sliced in two was still playing in her mind and it hurt to think about.

"I could have helped."

She reached for her backpack but the officer steadied her hand.

"I know you could miss Penny, but General Ironwood _and_ your father gave us direct orders to only engage the Grimm outside the walls."

She glanced down and bit her lip, a habit she had picked up in the past two weeks.

"I should have been down there with that creature."

The soldier cocked his head so her features appeared crooked.

"You mean with that giant Deathstalker?"

Penny nodded absently. She had felt a strange pull while flying over the white scorpion but couldn't understand why, neither could she understand the spontaneous fear she'd been overcome by when the airships had opened fire killing the creature before it could cause any more damage. When the black birds had appeared causing several bullhead to crash into a buildings she would have jumped out of the airship if she hadn't been stopped by the red soldier and his blue partner sitting beside him.

"Those poor men." She shook her head thinking of the soldiers who had always been so very kind to her.

Another soldier sitting across from the pair overheard and smiled sympathetically at the young girl who looked too innocent to be a huntress in training.

"Don't worry kid," He said trying to brighten her spirits. "they were AA-17 bullheads manned by AK-130s, nothing but scrap metal."

Penny cast her eyes down at her interlocked fingers and bit her lip with a little more force.

_Nothing but scrap metal..._

The soldier in blue stared back at their comrade giving him a silent command to never speak again while the one in red leaned over her shoulder.

"Miss Penny?" He asked worriedly.

The bullhead began to shake as if it hit some turbulence causing everyone to grimace and grab hold of something. Penny on the other hand gripped the door frame staring out to the ground below as if seeing through the black smoke and glanced back at the red and blue officers. She saluted and took a step back.

"I'm combat ready." She closed her eyes and let the high winds suck her out the door.

"MISS PENNY!" The officers cried reaching out for her but had their heads whipped back as the airship came to a sudden halt.

They had finally reached the fourth quadrant of the southern walls, or what was soon to be left of them.

As all the soldiers stood up and tied themselves to their cables the officers quickly blocked the exits.

"If she so much as gets a scratch Ironwood is gonna kill us." Blue muttered rubbing the back of his neck.

Red ignored him and glanced at the soldiers he didn't recognize doing a poor job of hiding his displeasure. Only he and his partner had originally been assigned to escorting Penny but as they were boarding the bullhead her father had ordered more security, not that she needed it.

"Uh, shouldn't we follow her?" Someone asked raising his hand.

"And why are we babysitting a Polaris student?" Asked another.

_Believe me._ Blue thought to himself. _She's not the one who needs babysitting._

"Listen up!" Red yelled cocking his shotgun for no other reason than effect as he highly doubted it would actually be needed.

"Two things you need to remember. One is your duty to not only Atlas but also to the people of Remnant."

The soldiers nodded as everything was still fresh in their minds from basic training.

"The second is-"

"Is far more important." Blue interrupted raising his voice. "Do not get in miss Penny's way if you do not wish to die and do not let miss Penny get a scratch if you wish to live."

The soldiers swallowed. Just who exactly was this strange girl with hiccups?

"Everyone understand?" Red inquired.

"Yes sir!" They all cried dutifully.

The partners nodded and stepped out of the bullhead secured by their cables and with only a moment of hesitation were followed by their comrades with sweaty palms.

Falling towards the ground the air was thick with smoke causing several of the men to cough and choke while their white armor was quickly darkened. Flames highlighted what little could be seen and they began searching for the perimeter walls.

Just as the officers began to wonder if the pilot had made a mistake they saw what looked like debris laying on the ground. Casting their eyes to the side to side they saw that a giant hole had been punched through the wall and _things_ were crawling out of the ground swarming the area trying to enter the city while small flames floated in the air.

From the treeline in the distance they could see a wave of darkness rushing towards the city. Even if Grimm were cleared out daily around the walls the creatures seemed to breed during times of strife. These were mostly juveniles however with little to no white armor, but what was pouring out of the ground was pure ivory.

"Creeps!" Someone yelled as the nightmares came into view.

Large reptilian creatures standing on two legs completely covered in white armor were staring up at the sky as if waiting for their next meal and when looking at their teeth the soldiers' Mark VII armor began to feel like cardboard.

The underworld dwelling Grimm were quickly forgotten however as what had at first been mistaken for small flames were turning out to be golden orbs hanging in the air swaying side to side.

"Deathstalkers!"

While all their eyes were on the ancient Grimm and the carnage, the red and blue officers were focused on the young girl who had just swatted a pair of Beowolves out of the way before stopping a Deathstalker's stinger from crashing down with a single hand.

Her backpack began to glow like her eyes and ten swords unfolded dancing around her as if possessed. With the flick of her wrist the scorpion begun dissipating before its head even had time to fall.

As the soldiers fell closer to the awaiting jaws of forest and subterranean Grimm several of the men began to scream causing the girl to look up and take a deep breath.

Penny's hair began blowing the opposite direction of the black smoke and she disappeared in a cloud of red.

The soldiers were blinded by crimson as they landed and began swatting the air in front of their visors to disrupt the storm, but once it began to settle they could see the Grimm evaporating.

Several of the men began to question what they had witnessed and the only two who didn't seem surprised or alarmed were the officers who let their weapons hang lazily in their arms.

A soft hum was heard and everyone turned as the girl with glowing green eyes came into view surrounded by her blades.

"She's not human..." Someone whispered.

Penny cupped her hands around rose petals before they could fall to the ground and hugged them tightly to her chest.

She whispered something to herself before bouncing on the balls of her feet and glancing up at the gawking soldier who had spoken.

"Yes I am." Penny opened her hands and blew the rose petals away watching them scatter before turning to face the hoards of Grimm that were charging from all directions.

_Thank you Ruby._

* * *

The residential district glowed red like the rest of the city causing the rain clouds above to have a fiery hue. Before setting the sun had tried to peak through one last time but now the shattered moon stayed hidden as if haunted by what it had briefly seen.

The City of Vale was renown for its bright and colorful lights, and it was not uncommon for those shopping in the commercial district to forget that dusk had fallen when their entire world was illuminated. The streets of gold brought joy to every heart and being able to see the CCT from across the city meant you could never be lost. And in the distance the faint flickering of the Emerald Tower reminded everyone they were safe. But not any more...

Now it was difficult to see thirty feet without black smoke impairing your sight and causing your eyes to water.

It was this excuse that a fifteen year old girl wearing a red cape was using to explain her misty eyes as she stared at her partner's pocket scroll unable to blink the wetness away. Drops fell through the hologram as her finger followed the thin line indicating a tunnel as it looped around the city before coming to a halt in the residential district.

The caped-girl was good at reading maps so following the tunnel from the mountain to the city was easy, especially since she could still remember how her empty stomach had sloshed at every bend the train had gone around.

What she couldn't understand however was how she had missed seeing the line disappear at the river before reappearing on the other side where millions of citizens lived. Torchwick's words came back laughing at her.

_It's all my fault._

She sat atop Crescent Rose letting her feet dangle as her right arm curled against her chest. Her boots were half buckled and loosely tied so as not to put too much pressure on her injured feet but just enough so they didn't slip off.

Her legs had long since fallen asleep which she was grateful for as it meant the pain was pushed aside for the time being. A bandage had been neatly wrapped around her right shoulder so tightly she couldn't raise her arm above shoulder length, but since she hadn't been able to do that without gut wrenching pain she didn't find herself minding too much.

The red tips of her dirty hair kept having to be blown out of her misty eyes and she had half a mind to rid herself of the problem with her scythe. She couldn't remember the last time she'd received a _proper_ haircut, which normally involved the bathroom mirror and scissors.

Her partner had tried to clean her face but was only able to scrape off one or two layers of dirt before the caped-girl's fussing had forced her to give up. Despite the grime her pale skin almost shined due to aura exhaustion. The silver in her eyes were tired and despite the flames all around she didn't feel any less cold.

A familiar hand brushed her matted hair to the side and wiped away some of the wetness of her cheeks. The calloused fingers were rough against her skin but felt soft in her mind.

"I don't know how you do it Rubes." Her sister remarked flaring her semblance as if she were lighting a candle. "Having my hair in so many knots would drive me crazy."

Yang wrapped an arm around her while continuing to play with her hair wishing to brush it out.

Her hand grazed Ruby's bandaged shoulder and instinctively she began checking to make sure the wraps were still tight and that her stubborn sister hadn't loosened them. Once she was satisfied the caped-girl couldn't swing Crescent Rose over her head she began inspecting her other cuts, bruises, and burns she'd accumulated like a mother hen fixing her chicks' feathers.

When she licked her thumb to remove dirt from her face was where Ruby drew the line but Yang ignored her causing her to puff out her cheeks. She found herself pleased that her baby sister could still be embarrassed despite her dark mood.

Grimacing Ruby glanced at her sister's muscular arm still around her and saw that the black tar of the Deathstalker had been removed from Ember Celica and the metal around the right barrels were no longer bent.

The blonde followed her line of sight again pleased that her sister's unhealthy obsession with weapons remained.

"Pyrrha fixed them with her semblance," She explained. "along with Jaune and her's shields."

Ruby nodded remembering how they'd been cracked in the fight but didn't raise her eyes off the chipped yellow paint.

"But these will be needing their mechanic when we get back to Beacon." Yang placed her larger hand atop Ruby's hoping the memories of sweating in Signal's machine shop helping her older yet mechanically ignorant sister build her gauntlets might bring a smile to her face.

If Weiss was the unofficial medic of the team then Ruby was definitely its mechanic or in her own words, '_Team RWBY's doctor of things that stab other things that are also a gun'._ She even had a binder formerly belonging to Weiss stating as such written in red crayon.

The young girl had built one of the deadliest weapons on Remnant and named it Crescent Rose like it was family, and had practically built Ember Celica to keep her sister from cutting a hand off with a power saw. After begging Blake on her hands and knees the faunus had let her tinker with Gambol Shroud and after only a few hours had improved its firing rate to make up for its lack of power and made its transformations even more fluid. The only weapon she rarely touched anymore was Myrtenaster but only because Weiss had threatened to freeze her in an ice cube if she ever caught her partner disassembling her beloved rapier again.

When the heiress wasn't looking however Ruby still liked to pretend she was a champion duelist in the mirror, and despite her threat and catching her countless times Weiss did find Myrtenaster's cylinder spinning smoother after her partner's meddling. Even the' finest work of Atlas could be improved in the hands of the caped-girl but right now Ruby didn't want to be in a machine shop fixing weapons. She wanted to be in the residential district killing Grimm with them.

"Is everyone ready?" She asked causing her sister to shake the memories of better days away.

Yang's lilac eyes glanced back to their teammates sitting in a semicircle with JNPR and their dimly lit aura shields. A small conversation was taking place but as Blake massaged her throat Yang could see the black bow twitching in their direction and from Weiss' sideways glances at her wrist scroll she could tell they were worried about Ruby and herself.

She on the other hand couldn't help but feel worried seeing their scars and how banged up her friends had become.

Blake no longer looked like the predator she had once been while fighting the White Fang or even the stubborn prey refusing to die against the Deathstalker. Weiss' Atlesian tan had somehow found a way to become even paler than Yang thought possible and no longer carried the air of an heiress. While they were both just seventeen year old girls in the back of her mind Yang remembered the old saying, _trial by fire_. If their singed clothing and burns were any indication they'd been through just that, and she couldn't help but feel proud of her team. Especially its leader and smallest member.

Ruby repeated the question but Yang pretended not to hear, which was easy since her eardrums were still ringing from the multiple explosions she'd been a part of.

The blonde felt as though a building had collapsed atop of her and remembered one did in fact. Her semblance had been shut down by the Deathstalker's stinger exploding but could feel the embers rekindling. She had to keep her breathing steady so as not to accidentally fully activate her semblance and waste any more valuable aura. Just flaring it occasionally was dangerous but it seemed to keep the flames content and made her sister feel better.

After thousands of hours of training she knew her body couldn't take much more punishment. Like her sister's semblance Yang's put a massive strain on her body but didn't necessarily need much aura to use it effectively. The fuel to the fire was rage and while she wasn't looking forward to staring through crimson eyes and communicating in grunts and roars, she would do whatever it took to protect her baby sister and friends.

"Yang..."

"Well," She scratched her neck. "Jaune's shoes took longer to get back on the right feet than we thought they would but-"

Ruby glanced up causing Yang to pause and regard just how tired her sister was, and just how much she looked like Summer.

"Everyone's ready Rubes." She ran her hand across bare skin were a Grimm had drawn blood. "Are you?"

A part of her was praying Ruby would say no and stay seated where she was safe from the monsters.

To answer her question the caped-girl slid out of the embrace and off her scythe but kept a firm hand around the barrel while waiting for the feeling in her legs to return. Afterward she was unsure which foot to put pressure on or which one hurt more but took a gentle step forward reminding Yang of someone testing the waters by dipping their toes.

Finally when she trusted herself to speak Ruby threw her weapon over her good shoulder and wiped her face.

"As ready as I'll ever be." She said honestly pulling her hood up and taking the first painful steps back to rejoining the team.

The blonde frowned hearing her hoarse voice before following.

It had been by Yang's order that the two teams had taken time to bandage their wounds, recharge some aura, and get some well earned rest, but in that same time Ruby had felt the numbness of her painkillers slip away.

Her major and many of her minor injuries had been treated against her will but it did bring some relief as did being off her feet for so long, and her sore muscles had even been given time to stiffen. But what small amount of aura she might have reclaimed however was little more than a drop in a bucket for her injuries, and since she'd moved ahead two years she still hadn't mastered controlling its flow. While her pool of aura was greater than Weiss' and closer to Blake's, she had the slowest recharge on the team and from Jaune's dull light brightening it appeared even his might be quicker.

An awkward step on uneven ground caused her to grimace and under her hood she could feel every eye watching as she did her best not to limp back to her friends. She bit her tongue so as not to make a sound and made it a point not to use Crescent Rose as a crutch or a walking stick. Instead to keep her balance she rested it over her shoulders, something that she'd learned from watching her uncle when he'd had too much to drink, which meant she had years of experience to pull from.

Just like she could feel everyone watching Ruby could feel her sister's warm presence hovering nearby ready to catch her if she were to suddenly stumble. In the back of her mind there was some comfort knowing her big sis always had her back, but there was a greater sense of pride walking on her own tattered feet that reminded her that she was training to be a huntress at the finest academy on Remnant.

She had been made a team captain despite her age and had been recruited by the headmaster himself but Ruby would never admit to being a prodigy and detested the word. Everything the caped-girl did was because she believed that was what a huntress was supposed to be. It was what her mother had been and what her teammates were in her eyes.

Her boots came to a stop just outside the semicircle kicking up gravel and loose pavement. She took a moment to breathe feeling relieved she had made it so far and began focusing on standing upright.

Yang glanced around seeing weary faces and bloodstained cloths. The only one who seemed intact and still have their fighting spirit was Pyrrha who was looking as impenetrable as her armor. The amazon had a reputation to uphold but also needed to look strong for her friends who looked up to her, but Yang could tell it was for show.

She knew because she had been doing the very same for most of her life.

A heavy silence was in the air as was a dark mood that seemed to reflect what was left of their auras. While Pyrrha was sitting up straight and Jaune looking expectantly at his fellow leader, Ren and Nora were leaning against each other staring toward the south. The hammer girl had recovered a bit but still looked exhausted, a trait normally associated with her partner which for his part was no longer holding his cracked ribs but using so much aura had left him severely drained and sluggish.

Ruby couldn't help but feel responsible for their condition and when she failed to speak up Weiss got to her feet and pulled her jacket's sleeve over the wrist scroll. Myrtenaster was at her side looking as though it had recently been polished and its vials were full.

"Well dolt," She said putting her hands on her hips. "what's our next move?"

Yang snorted and couldn't help but appreciate the heiress' direct approach. She was about as _subtle_ as her sister just not as inadvertently so.

When she didn't get a response the heiress tapped her foot. "We're waiting."

Ruby finally lifted her head letting everyone see the weary eyes of a girl over two years their junior who was to give them orders. She glanced around wondering if they could see all that she was feeling.

"Go on Ruby." Blake said in a voice that had become as raw as her throat. Yang caught a hint of pink skin between her fingers and wished she'd punched Torchwick a little harder.

When the caped-girl remained silent Weiss spoke up again.

"Well I happen to have a plan." She paused as if waiting applause but when none came she continued.

"You and I have a bet to win Ruby Rose." She reminded her partner. "I am covered in filth and plan on taking a scalding hot shower _and_ bath when we return from saving the city."

JNPR glanced at each other confused by what she was saying as if she were speaking a foreign language, which with her Atlesian accent was almost the case at times. Blake and Yang on the other hand were hiding smirks while Ruby's face remained passive.

"Hear that Yang?" Weiss mocked raising her chin. "Everyone else will be getting warm water while you're shivering in your birthday suit."

Yang grinned devilishly and blew the hair out of eyes which flickered between red and lilac.

"And you." Weiss turned to Blake. "Are you going to let a Schnee win? Just so you know I'll never let you hear the end of it."

The faunus' breath was haggard but she met eyes with the girl in white then her partner's.

"Don't-" She cleared her throat. "Don't complain to us when you have to take a shower as cold as you are princess."

Weiss huffed and looked over JNPR who were bewildered by the conversation taking place.

"Let's show JNPR why we're winning the Vytal Festival and why _my_ partner will be the youngest champion in history."

Their eyes turned to their sister team who got to their feet realizing this was Weiss' way of motivating the team.

"We'll just see about that." Jaune said grabbing Pyrrha's arm.

She felt two other being tugged and glanced down to see Ren and Nora nodding eagerly.

Everyone was grinning but the caped-girl, and Yang could sense what was bothering her and adding extra weight to her teammates' already burdened shoulders. She had learned everything there was to know about her teammates along with their auras and knew what was haunting them in a city of monsters. Guilt...

So long as her baby sister was safe it was the one thing Yang was free from, but she'd watched as it made prisoners of her friends in the past.

"This isn't any of our fault." She said letting out as much warmth as she could spare.

Guilt and condemnation were dangerous to anyone but especially huntsmen and huntresses. Aura was tied to the person's soul and if it was suffering then so were their powers.

She also didn't like that her friends were kicking themselves in the butt when that was her job.

"If it wasn't for us Torchwick would have attacked during the Vytal Festival when thousands of tourists were here and would have had another month to stockpile dust."

Like Yang thought at the mention of her family's legacy Weiss' eyes lowered as she recalled the SDC logo in the tunnels and felt partially responsible. Her family had given the White Fang tools to destroy the City of Vale, and she doubted her father cared more about the victims than he did the lost profits.

"If you want someone to blame then start with the guys who set the bombs in the first place Weiss, or heck maybe even the Grimm."

When she didn't react Yang let her eyes and voice soften.

"No one blames you Weiss, and you aren't your father's company. If you feel like you need to make things right then that's exactly what we're gonna do."

The heiress' normally icy aura was warmed by the blonde's and she nodded in thanks before looking away.

Yang turned to face her partner and not for the first time noticed how Blake had lost weight in the months since her first encounter with Torchwick and looked as though she hadn't slept in months. She was the definition of guilt affecting aura and Yang believed it to be a true testament to how much stronger the girl was than she gave herself credit for. She'd never have made it so far otherwise.

She gave a quick glance at the black bow atop her head that was keeping an ear out for trouble and smiled.

"Blake," She said softly. "You have more than made up for your ghosts and you never ran away like you say you do. You chased the White Fang harder than any of us and we wouldn't be here without you."

The faunus swallowed unable to speak for various reasons but Weiss had a word to add.

"I also highly doubt anyone really cares how an SDC train and cargo fell into the hands of the White Fang." She kept her eyes up at the gloomy red sky as if it were far more interesting than the conversation taking place. "Seems rather unimportant if you ask me."

The two caught eyes and Blake couldn't hide her surprise while Weiss simply looked bored.

"Train rides always did give me a migraine."

"Everything gives you a migraine." Yang quipped.

Blake's shadow danced on the pavement and despite the flames frost appeared on her outline. She noticed the heiress' left eye slightly out of view but this time didn't flinch away.

_I'm sorry._ She apologized knowing this was neither the time nor place.

Everyone turned as someone important was hiding under their hood being left out.

"And you." Yang stooped down to look her sister in the eyes but Ruby turned away. "You of all people have nothing to be ashamed of."

Before her partner could argue Weiss spoke up.

"Don't even bother arguing dolt." She said with a lopsided grin. "You're the reason why we found the White Fang in the first place and Yang's right. You might have saved millions of lives so don't even think about blaming yourself."

Ruby didn't respond or even seem to acknowledged their words. She couldn't see the millions or even the thousands that might have been saved by her actions, only those who had been lost.

Jaune coughed reminding the girls they weren't alone. He cast his eyes to the ground and kicked a piece of burning rubble to the side. He could sense his fellow leader's unease but wasn't sure if it was in his place to speak up or not.

Seeing Ruby in the hospital had been a sobering experience and a reality check he hadn't been prepared for. In combat the caped-girl was as ruthless as she was brilliant and despite his countless hours of combat training with Pyrrha, Jaune had spent even more time learning how to a good leader by a girl over two years his junior and half his size. Neither one were supposed to be at Beacon but fate had made them leaders together, and now seemed as good a place as any to properly thank her.

"That Deathstalker would still be alive if it wasn't for you, Ruby."

He glanced at Pyrrha who nodded earnestly.

"And we wouldn't be," She added. "and neither would half the city."

"If we had followed my plan we would be pancakes right about now." At the mention of food the Nora's stomach growled followed by everyone else's, including Weiss'.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is-"

"What we're all trying to say is-" Weiss interrupted.

"What's the plan sis?" Yang straightened her cross necklace and pins.

Ruby was silent as she kept her hood covering her face which she wiped with a sleeve. When her red cape shifted despite the wind a grin was shared among the teams and the brief smell of roses tickled their noses. Blake smiled as they were no longer wilted.

She lifted her head so everyone could see her sparkling silver eyes and just for a second the moon peeked through the clouds as if to watch.

"Team RWBY's specialty." She lifted her hood. "We kill anything that moves."

Yang laughed and cracked her knuckles. "I've always like that one. Can we use Weiss as bait again?"

The heiress rolled her eyes but found herself amused.

"Any ideas where we should start?" She asked ever curious what insane plan was going through her partner's mind. Despite herself Weiss had begun to enjoy them.

Ruby nodded and turned her scroll for everyone to see.

"The train did a loop around the city before stopping in the commercial district." She pointed with a shaky hand where the line halted then towards the other side of the district.

"At least that's where I thought it ended." She blinked and wiped her face again. "The tunnel must go underneath the river before rising again because it keeps going into the residential district."

She pointed but even Blake and Ren had trouble following the unlabeled line through the city.

"I should have seen it." She admitted causing Yang to rub her good shoulder.

"We couldn't have done anything about it anyway." Weiss replied.

Jaune waved to the fallen buildings and the giant crater in the plaza. "We were kind of busy with our own problems."

Ruby took a deep breath and nodded before continuing.

"The line actually comes to an end here," She pointed again. "but it looks like there aren't any breaches from here to there so it should be a straight shot across the north bridge into the district."

Everyone glanced up and noticed there weren't many fires between their breach and the homes in the distance.

Weiss swallowed. "That means most of the Grimm will have been drawn there."

The caped-girl nodded. Grimm had a way of sensing distress among humans and if millions of people were afraid then every monster in the kingdom would have sensed it.

"Especially the older, smarter ones." Ruby added reluctantly.

"Then what are we waiting for!?" Yang asked as sparks traveled down her mane and her flame rekindled. "Let's go!"

She was about to take off and lead the way when Pyrrha grabbed her by the arm.

"Sorry," She apologized before glancing at her partner. "but we're going to show you why _we're_ winning the Vytal Festival."

"And why Pyrrha's gonna be the first undefeated champion!" Nora shouted.

Yang motioned for the amazon to lead the way and kept the fact she was also technically undefeated to herself.

"Be our guest." Blake rasped knowing their sister team was fresher than theirs.

Jaune raised his sword and charged towards the dark smoke with his teammates following.

Yang watched them go and held out her hand and received a gentle slap from her sister.

"Ah yeah!" The blonde smirked.

To Ruby's surprise Blake held up her hand next and after a brief pause the caped-girl struck it.

_*slap*_

"Huh?" She glanced down as something slipped between her fingers. Her heart skipped a beat as she quickly balled her hand into a fist hoping no one had seen the white _pebbles_.

Her breath caught when Blake gave her a slight nod.

"Hey sis?" Ruby asked in a scratchy voice. "Can I have some water please?"

Yang nodded and handed over what was left in her yellow water bottle. She waited for her sister to take a drink who stared awkwardly as if unsure which end to drink from.

"Uhhh…."

"We'll just be a second." Blake said motioning for Yang and Weiss to follow JNPR.

The blonde gave her partner a curious glance while Weiss watched the pair curiously. Ruby nodded and slowly the pair turned and started jogging at a pace their partners normally walked at.

Once they were gone Ruby opened her fist and stared at the little white _pebbles _shaking her hand.

"My painkillers," She whispered glancing up. "but why?"

The bottle had been given to Blake and Weiss to help the injured but obviously two had been tucked away by the faunus. A part of Ruby was angry that a civilian had been forgotten, but the part of her in agony was relieved.

"Because we can't do this without you." Blake said simply.

"But someone else could have used it!" Ruby raised her voice. "Someone who needed it more!"

Blake's shook her head. "I saw you take the pills down in the tunnel Ruby."

The caped-girl flinched as if she'd been struck and shifted her weight uncomfortably.

"You need that more than anyone and your team needs you."

While Blake still viewed Ruby as a kid she knew Jaune was right and that they'd be dead without her. People were dying in the streets and she knew they needed the child prodigy if they were going to make it out alive with as many survivors as possible. She just hoped she wasn't making the worst mistake of her life.

The caped-girl stared down at her open hand with displeasure but with a heavy sigh she popped them in her mouth and washed them down.

_*cough, cough*_

Blake's shoulders relaxed but she felt knives being driven through her chest as she broke the team's commandment once again.

"With your aura almost empty it should kick in faster this time and last longer." She said with a bitter taste in her mouth.

Ruby nodded and found it ironic that running out of aura was actually going to be to her benefit.

"Thank you." She said nearly moved to tears.

_Please don't thank me._ Her conscious bemoaned. _That's the last thing I deserve for doing this._

Ruby was the first person Blake had ever met that made her question if pure good and evil could truly exist. If the caped-girl was pure good then she was afraid that pure evil might actually be real, and it terrified her to think she'd seen glimpses of it underneath Grimm masks.

"Come on." Ruby said swapping to a low grade orange ammo magazine, something that would give her a boost but not waist precious heavy ammo. "Let's catch up."

Blake held out her hand for the caped-girl who accepted and both gave reassuring squeezes. With a nod the pair combined shadow jumping with Crescent Rose's recoil to quickly rejoin their teammates who weren't far off along with Nora whose shorter legs were making it difficult keeping up with their longer legs.

Ruby's feet burned with every step feeling like sharp needles being poked through the skin and not for the first time she was thankful for her specially designed socks and shoes that gave her extra padding. Blake had lost some of her graceful movements but being a faunus that hardly mattered, and although she exaggerated her strength and endurance it did give her an edge over her friends.

Letting go of hands she fell in line with Yang and Weiss while Ruby joined Nora who greeted her with a half hearted wave.

"Welcome to the caboose." She said out of breath.

Ruby nodded knowing the stocky hammer girl was used to running in the back of a race while she was always in the front by miles. It felt to Ruby as though she were running through peanut butter which only served to remind her she hadn't eaten all day. Occasionally their teammates would glance behind to see if Ruby and Nora were keeping up and more than once the hammer girl had to give Ren the okay to keep going without her.

With her own team only a step ahead Ruby positioned herself behind Yang's broad shoulders so she didn't have to see the occasional lifeless body on the ground. All she had to do was follow her big sister and hope the medicine kicked in soon. She could still remember the tingle they had given her and knew they were the only reason she had survived for so long.

Feeling silver eyes burning into her back the blonde craned her neck and saw Ruby struggling to keep up.

"You want a piggyback ride sis?" Yang asked seriously.

The caped-girl glanced up and mouthed something letting her sister know exactly what she could do with that idea.

"Just wondering, no need to act like the Ice Queen." Yang chuckled but turning around her smile faded.

Every part of her brain was telling her to grab her sister and carry her back to Beacon's medical bay. Ruby's huntress pride wouldn't let her rest until every Grimm was dead and every civilian safe even if it meant her life.

Yang's own huntress pride should have been saying the same but her instincts as an older sister far outweighed years of training and vows to protect the weak. All that mattered in her life was keeping Ruby safe and the promise to her father.

_Keep Ruby safe, she's all we have left of Summer..._

Yang didn't have a noble reason for wanting to be huntress unlike her teammates who all fought for things much larger than themselves. She killed monsters because she was good at it and enjoyed the excitement only the life of a huntress could give her. Just so long as her baby sister was safe her conscience would be clear.

As heat radiated off her partner Blake looked for signs of life hoping she'd see a chest rise or hear a cry for help but none came. Grimm weren't in the habit of letting their prey live and feeling Yang's violent aura rekindled was twisting her stomach in knots.

_You did the right thing. _She told herself. _We need her in the fight and so does the city._

Blake was trying to do the right thing but kept reminding herself she wasn't the moral compass of her team. She still wanted to believe in a world of grey despite her fears of pure good and evil existing, and if anyone had to make the morally grey decisions she knew it would have to be her.

Hearing gunfire her ears perked and up ahead she watched Pyrrha and Ren shoot a straggling pack of Beowolves while Jaune charged forward on the bridge with his sword held high to finish them off. They had finally made it to the oldest river crossing in the city and Blake tried not to think about how deep the water was down below. Instead she tried to focus on the other end but couldn't control her eyes which wandered down.

As they made their way across Yang noticed her partner's legs beginning to slow as her eyes watched the rushing water below. A grin slowly tugged on the blonde's face as she found a way to amuse herself.

"Oops, sorry Blake." She slapped her on the back nearly knocking her over the edge. "I forgot you don't like open water."

The faunus grumbled something under her breath that lost on Yang's still buzzing ears.

"Tuna don't swim in rivers." The blonde answered helpfully. "We'll have to work on your fear of water after we work on Weiss' phobia of calories."

"I do not!" The heiress huffed drenched in sweat and too out of breath to come up with a clever retort. Like her partner she too had aching feet but was too proud to admit wearing heels into combat wasn't the best idea.

Nora tucked her chin moving her short, stubby legs as fast as she could leaving Ruby by herself.

"Is it because you're a cat faunus?" She asked mimicking cat ears with her hands.

Remembering who had spilled her secret Blake shot an accusatory glance at Weiss who grinned nervously and tried to whistle.

In truth Blake did have some fear of open water but it had more to do with it getting in her cat ears leaving her faunus and human senses greatly disoriented to the point she couldn't tell which way was up or down when she went under. Almost drowning as a child hadn't helped either but Yang liked to exaggerate her partner's quirks.

_*twitch*_

Once again she heard gunfire and saw it wasn't by Pyrrha or Ren's doing. Without hesitation she took off running to join the other team as they crossed into the residential district and the first homes that had so far been untouched by the chaos.

Nora watched her go with sadness but Yang winked.

"Totally, and don't even get me started on yarn."

Weiss rolled her eyes at both Yang's immaturity and Nora being so gullible before drifting back to her partner who was starting to regret not taking Yang up on her offer.

"Your sister is being-" Weiss struggled for a word that would describe the blonde.

"Herself?" Ruby asked light heartedly.

"Quite."

While her partner continued to gripe about the blonde's rude behavior Ruby watched the team's scout catch up with Ren and mentally scolded herself for not thinking as a leader.

_I should have sent her up ahead earlier._ _With her senses we need all the help we can get._

"Please stop filling her head with nonsense!" Weiss cried as the blonde started telling Nora why they always had to buy new couches. The hammer girl didn't seem to realize team RWBY neither owned a couch nor had room for one.

"You've already ruined what was left of Ruby's brain so stop spreading the disease!"

"Hey!"

Weiss gave a sideways glance to the caped-girl who after a moment of reluctance bobbed her head. Finding out chocolate milk didn't come from chocolate cows had been one of the hardest days of Ruby's life, and Weiss' for that matter.

While they enjoyed a moment of levity it immediately stopped once they crossed the bridge officially stepping foot into the residential district. Not even Yang could keep up her playful teasing as they began to focus on the mission and how serious it was.

Ruby lowered her face as the flames were getting nearer but still couldn't warm her.

"It's okay." Weiss tilted her head down to see under her partner's hood. "This was the last stop for the train which means the sirens would have been going off for close to half an hour giving everyone plenty time to get somewhere safe."

Ruby raised her head as she hadn't thought of that. The city had an alarm for a reason and remembered how the sirens had made her ears ring.

"And every neighborhood should have a shelter just in case something like this happened!" She said excitedly.

Weiss smiled as her partner's eyes lit up with determination and looking up she saw Yang nod in thanks. Just for a moment the four felt relieved, until they heard the sound of familiar gunfire.

"What was that?" Yang asked digging a finger in her ear.

Ruby and Weiss glanced at each other.

"Gambol Shroud!"

"And Stormflower!" Nora cried.

The girls quickened their pace unsure how the rest of JNPR and Blake had gotten so far so quickly but as they rounded a building they saw absolute mayhem. Ivory Grimm poured from the ground as scattered Atlesian Knights and soldiers from both Atlas and Vale fired from the streets and even rooftops. For every creature they slew it seemed three more took its place and it would only be a matter of time before they were overwhelmed.

Pyrrha changed her weapon into rifle form and began to fire like Blake and Ren while Jaune just stared holding his sword with uncertainty. He could see even more fires in the distance meaning there were likely hundreds of Grimm but if the breach wasn't contained then the district could be overrun.

Ruby, Weiss, and Yang joined his side while Nora started firing her grenade launcher but quickly got frustrated when Grimm weren't falling over dead and charged with her hammer causing Ren to chase after her.

"This doesn't make sense." Ruby muttered. "The tunnel is supposed to run south of here."

She stared at the hole and something looked wrong but she quite couldn't place what it was.

Weiss being a step quicker covered her mouth remembering her first day at Beacon in the courtyard.

"There's no crater." She whispered. "Something _else_ made that hole, not a bomb or the train."

Blake switched her weapon from pistol mode as it was clear it wasn't going to make a difference against such armored Grimm. She combined the cleaver and katana looking for orders like the others.

Jaune was gritting his teeth as he realized there was another breach out there with even more Grimm flooding the streets. He glanced back at Ruby who was biting her cheek as her mind raced faster than her semblance. She taking note of everyone's condition and their weapons confirming what she already knew.

"You-"

"You four stay here." He interrupted. "We'll find the other breach and clear out all the Grimm we can."

Ruby shook her head. "Not a good idea Jaune. Your team is slower and built to hold enemy lines while ours is to push through them."

Jaune wasn't surprised by her argument as he had thought of it himself.

"No!" He raised his voice. "You four are exhausted and wouldn't have survived that last wave of Grimm without us. Here you'll at least have backup and reinforcements will be on their way."

"That was also a breach." Ruby reminded him. "JNPR will be better off here while we go hunting in the streets."

The blond knight's eyes looked almost desperate. "But you'll be safer here Ruby."

Yang was about to agree with him for her sister's sake when she spoke up again.

"We're training to be huntresses Jaune." Ruby reminded him. "And-"

"And the most important thing is that the civilians are safe." Weiss said dutifully standing by her side.

Yang regarded the heiress carefully.

_Not to me it isn't._

Blake studied her partner's face as lilac eyes shifted to red for a moment.

"It's our job." She added causing Yang to turn away.

"You four are exhausted!" He repeated. "You could die out there!"

Ruby blew the hair out of her eyes and took a long look at Crescent Rose. If she was worried she hid it well.

"Your team isn't much better off than we are Jaune."

"But none of us were in a hospital and that's where you belong!"

As the two continued to argue Yang finally glanced back and saw her partner was still staring back at her.

_Your sister's right. _Her eyes said.

_That's what I'm afraid of._

When she heard Jaune raise his voice to her sister Yang frowned.

"Whatever made that hole could still be out there Ruby!"

Yang took a step forward directly behind Ruby and cracked her knuckles to get everyone's attention.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath finally letting the flames fully rekindle.

_There's no going back now..._

When her eyes opened they were crimson and her hair lit up.

"All the more reason Yang needs to go." Ruby said.

Jaune cursed as once again his fellow leader was right and too stubborn to relent. Ren was the fastest on his team yet could barely move out of the way of his partner's hammer which was normally as natural as breathing for him and even that seemed off. Nora was their heavy hitter who could kill even the most armored Grimm with a single swing from Magnhild but was now having difficulty just dealing with a small pack of Creeps the two had gone off to fight, no doubt caused by her running off when he wasn't looking.

That left himself and Pyrrha but he knew even she couldn't carry the team by herself. He had used more aura fighting the Deathstalker than all his weeks at Beacon combined. His heavy armor was weighing on him and knew the same was true for his partner. Their place was here to be the front line defense like they'd been against the giant Deathstalker and when they'd protected RWBY. The Arc family symbol was on his shield and not his sword for a reason.

He glanced back at the soldiers and then at the breach that had to be contained. Finally his eyes settled back on Ruby who was standing on her toes to gain an inch while her teammates stood behind her. It seemed nothing short of killing the caped-girl would keep her from killing herself...

"Fine, just go!" He cast his watery eyes away and charged towards the biggest Ursa Major he could see with the intent of removing its head from its shoulders.

Pyrrha stopped firing and watched him go feeling pride in her chest but also sadness looking back at her friends.

"Are you sure about this?"

They all nodded in unison except Yang who caught her eye and for a moment her impenetrable armor opened a little.

_I'm sorry._

Yang nodded knowing they had a kindred spirit together.

She had heard of the great Pyrrha Nikos and her four regional Mistral championships at Sanctum Academy, and unless you lived under a rock you had seen her red hair and dazzling smile on a box of Pumpkin Pete's. Little did the amazon know she had been the cause of countless fights between her and Ruby at the breakfast table for who would get the prize at the bottom of the box.

While Yang never considered herself intimidated by anyone, it was hard not to respect someone who had been given the title _The Invincible Girl _and lived up to the name. They had spared a dozen of times in Goodwitch's class and there was a reason why the freshmen believed one of the two could win the Vytal Festival, and on certain days even Yang found herself uncertain who would win in a fight.

She glanced at Jaune who was gripping his sword with white knuckles roaring while taking a swing at the monster three times his size. At the beginning of the year Yang had made a steady income betting on how quickly Pyrrha could knock him on his backside and how many blows she'd land, but as the semester progressed she found her wallet thinning as her sister's ammo collection began taking up over half the closet.

Even if the young knight did have trouble telling his left foot from his other left Yang was impressed he had stood against the Deathstalker with Pyrrha and bought enough time for her sister's plan to work. She also appreciated how quickly he and Ruby had become friends, and after a small talk asking him about his intentions with her sister where _absolutely _no threats or implications about breaking every bone in his body had been made, they too became friends...once it was clear he had no interest in her sister that is.

"We'll be sure to kill some Grimm on the way. " Ruby promised.

"Don't bother." The amazon's weapon changed back into spear form.

She turned and threw her weapon straight through an armored Creep as it tried to flank Jaune and afterward it returned to her hand.

With a farewell salute she joined his side leaving Ruby to watch the battle from afar. Already she could see the other team creating thea perimeter and rallying the soldiers to concentrate their fire. She relaxed knowing she had made the right decision.

"Come on." Weiss said grabbing her wrist. "Unless you're thinking about changing your mind it's time to go."

The caped-girl took a deep breath before she took off running in the opposite direction with her team by her side. Despite the amazon's words they slew every Grimm that got in their way, or in Yang's case every one that looked at her wrong. Blood was trailing down her arms and without gloves raw knuckles could be seen. Her eyes were turning darker shades of red and it seemed every other word was a curse.

Weiss and Blake exchanged worried glances regarding their partners. Yang's unstoppable rage and power coupled with Ruby's ruthlessness and speed made up for well over half of the team's offense and took pressure off their more supportive teammates. Blake needed room in battle to be effective and relied on agility and cunning to make up for her lack of power, while Weiss needed time to cast glyphs and recharge her small aura pool. Together they had been trying to fill the caped-girl's role on the front line having their fair share of scars as proof, and were wondering how much longer they could keep it up, or how much longer the sisters could keep standing for that matter.

Once Yang's aggression had been released on another pack of unfortunate Grimm she fell in line with Weiss and Ruby while Blake moved ahead several strides keeping her ears perked.

Except for the their heavy breathing, Yang's mutterings, and Weiss' heels clicking the team traveled in silence as the gunfire and sounds of war faded in the distance. Although the subway tunnel appeared nearby on the map, the residential district alone was larger than all the territories outside the kingdoms, and without JNPR their strength had been halved, and there was a feeling of vulnerability and isolation they hadn't felt before.

Their leader had made the tactical decision and they all knew Ruby was right in making it. None of them would say it out loud but they all believed when they worked together they were the better team and more suited for offense. They could move faster, kill more Grimm, had first aid experience, and from Yang's eyes and choice language they had her semblance in their favor.

Running by a darkened window Ruby pressed her face against the glass relieved to see no signs of life and the houses on the block all looked similar. Her partner had been correct about the sirens giving the civilians enough time to prepare. Seeing Yang and Weiss beginning to slow she took off running again and saw Blake turn her head.

"We're almost there!" She called out as the air became thick with smoke.

They were getting close to the next breach but would need to cut their way through first. Up ahead they could see the silhouettes of Grimm and body lengths began to separate Blake from the rest of the team who were conserving their limited ammo and dust.

As the pack of Beowolves stood on their hind legs to howl Blake slid on her knees and shadow jumped forward, cutting several down leaving them the perfect height for Ruby to remove their heads while Weiss stabbed their chests. Yang however simply punched them with bare fists not even bothering to activate her gauntlets.

With cat-like reflexes Blake was back on her feet and fell back to their side not missing a beat.

"We're only a couple of blocks from the hoard." Her ears twitched. "What's the plan?"

Everyone glanced at Ruby who licked her cracked lips tasting blood.

"Same as in the courtyard of the school." She replied. "Freezer-Burn will be on the front line pushing forward."

Weiss took a deep breath getting herself mentally prepared while Yang stared straight ahead unblinking.

"What about you?"

"I'll be on the perimeter with Blake killing Grimm and looking for civilians." She glanced back at her partner. "You and I will swap out whenever you need a breather and-"

Before anyone could argue about the caped-girl fighting on the front line she was lifted off the ground by her hood.

Everyone stopped and Ruby's head spun around to see red eyes glaring down at her.

"Yang!?" She cried kicking her legs. "Put me down!"

The blonde shook her head as she continued to struggle.

"This isn't one of your stupid games Ruby!"

The caped-girl's mouth fell open at her sister's sudden outburst but promptly closed it with a snarl.

"If you go in there like you are now you'll be torn to shreds."

She set Ruby back on her feet but kept a firm grip around the hood. Despite being nearly a head shorter and having to tilt it to look her in the eyes Ruby looked just as fierce and intense as her older sister.

"I'll be fine!" She yelled trying to push her away to no avail.

The monochrome pair swallowed having seen the sisters in their fair share of scuffles and Blake recalled her first interaction with the two involving Ruby punching Yang in the face and the blonde laughing it off.

"Look at me!" Yang pointed at her crimson eyes as her pupils were slowly disappearing. "The only reason I haven't been swarmed by Grimm yet is because Weiss' aura is colder than her personality and Blake's is about as loud as her shadow!"

Her friends took no offense to the statement as they knew it was her semblance talking and what she said was the truth, their auras which were all contrary to hers. Grimm were drawn to negative emotions and Yang's were washing over them like title waves in Mistral.

"You're not fighting and that's final!"

The caped-girl growled as she swung her scythe around to create some space but the blonde easily caught its blade. Ruby went to use its recoil but the barrel was covered by a hand.

"Yang..." Ruby warned scratching her finger on the trigger.

Her eyes shook side to side causing Ruby to sigh.

Weiss screamed as the rifle fired but Yang didn't even flinch as orange smoke rose around her fist.

"Oww." She let go of Crescent Rose shaking her hand slightly.

The caped-girl embedded the blade into the ground and hung her head looking defeated. After a moment Yang pressed her forehead against Ruby's.

"Rubes," She said gently. "I want you to stay back and give us covering fire. "

"But-"

Yang lifted Ruby off her feet again but this time placed her on Crescent Rose so they were the same height.

"Sis, I don't care you are my teammate or my leader." She wiped some blood off her cheek with a thumb. "You'll always be my baby sister and it's my job to take care of you."

Blake and Weiss knew those words stung. There was no question that Ruby had earned their respect and her title as team leader, but she'd always be treated like she was special and their kid sister.

Ruby stared down at the ground with watery eyes. Her body was exhausted and knowing she was slowing down her team was breaking her heart. If she went into battle all they'd do is worry about her. They'd already proven that in the Central Plaza.

"I love you sis, and I'm never going to lose you again." Yang brushed her hair. "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me most, but I'm here now."

Yang rubbed her hand across Summer's cloak thinking of all the words she couldn't take back but at least now she could honor Summer's dying act for her daughter.

Ruby glanced up. "If you three get in trouble I'm fighting with you."

Yang smiled cockily and popped her stiff neck. She was radiating power just as she had against the Deathstalker.

"Then I'm not going to let that happen."

Ruby wiped her eyes and nodded. "Then I'll stay back I guess..."

"You'll be doing more than that." Weiss informed. "You'll be our eyes telling us what's coming, where to go, and-."

"And we couldn't ask for a better sniper." Blake added.

"Or a better partner." Weiss agreed.

Yang smiled and just for a second her eyes flickered. "Or a better leader."

The caped-girl felt a resurgence of strength as her great burden was shared among her friends. Without a word she slid off her rifle and took off running to lead the way but found them by her side and something being placed in her hand.

"My wrist scroll." Yang explained holding up her gauntlets. "I can't exactly wear it while fighting."

Ruby nodded and tied it around her arm going to the team's stats without looking so as not to see what pictures her sister might have. She wasn't necessarily afraid of what she might see, just what she might never be able to _un-see_.

Once it was safe to peek Ruby wasn't surprised to see her aura was practically zero and barely glanced at Weiss and Blake who were both hovering above fifteen percent. Her eyes went straight for Yang who was obviously going to great lengths to burn her power off slowly. In any other situation she would have put the flames out hours ago as it was like containing wildfire behind flammable walls. Steam was rising off her skin and Ruby was scared not only as her sister but also as her leader. Yang was their cornerstone who could turn an unwinnable battle into certain victory.

_It'll just have to do._ They had a mission and lives were at stake.

Yang pointed ahead to a red bricked apartment complex that towered over the neighborhood. A small pack of young Beowolves were in between but the team barely gave them a second thought.

"Ruby, you'll be our guardian angel up there keeping us safe and in position."

"Okay."

"And if you move so help me God, I will ground you from chocolate for-"

The caped-girl fired her rifle speeding ahead to the awaiting claws and teeth of Beowolves as they seemed friendlier at the moment than her sister, but in the blink of an eye they were sliced apart before she could even lift her blade.

At her side Blake gave her a knowing look but Ruby wasn't sure what to make of it. Perhaps the Grimm were a parting gift but she noticed an extra bounce in the faunus' step. Maybe she was just happy the caped-girl would be safe and her pain masked.

Regardless she nodded in thanks and gave her friends a thumbs up before scurrying up a fire escape careful not to get her cape snagged. Peeking through dirty windows she could see families huddled together in darkened rooms praying and she said a few of her own while climbing the ladders.

When she came to a window slightly ajar she went to close it but paused. The bedroom obviously belonged to a girl who loved pink as it was the color of the carpet, walls, and even the dresser. Hearing the tell-tale sounds of whimpering she shined Crescent Rose's flashlight into the room and naturally under the bed.

Underneath a girl no older than five wearing pink pajamas was being held by another a few years older in yellow. Ruby felt a lump in her chest at the familiar sight.

The elder glanced over but didn't seem to care that a stranger was in their window.

"It'll be okay." Ruby promised knowing what was important to her. "Your sister's safe now."

The younger sister opened her eyes and saw the rifle being pointed in her room.

"Are you a huntress ma'am?" She sniffled.

Ruby almost snorted at being called _ma'am,_ but had to remind herself she was twice the older sister's age and certainly looked the part of a real huntress even if she was two years younger than even the youngest freshmen.

"Of course I am!" Ruby proclaimed. _In training and technically still on my first mission._

"Wow, you're like a superhero!"

"That's why I wear the cape." She spun letting red streak across the window and posed heroically like she'd practiced.

"Can I have your autograph?!"

"Me too?!" The elder cried elbowing her sister.

Before Ruby could find a pen her wrist scroll flashed white and was reminded this was her sister's scroll as a tag referring to a female dog appeared.

"HEY DOLT!" Weiss' voice boomed. "I could use some support right now!"

Ruby grinned sheepishly as the tag changed to other words describing the heiress.

"Sorry," She said to the girls. "My team...of which I am the leader of needs me."

They groaned but waved goodbye as she closed the window making sure it was tight before moving up the final ladder.

"I'm on my way." She said hopping on the roof. "There were two little girls hiding under the bed scared and I just wanted-"

"They're scared!?" Weiss snapped. "I have a Beowolf breathing down my neck and an Ursa Major that won't stay dead!"

*_Wizzzz*_

Weiss heard a bullet fly through the air and felt sticky tar on the back of her neck. The blink of an eye later the bear in front of her finally fell over missing its head.

Ruby muted the heiress for a moment as she didn't need it to hear her cries of disgust.

"You're welcome." The caped-girl muttered as she chambered the next round.

With her partner momentarily safe she glanced around from atop her sniper perch and saw the area swarming with Grimm and fires spreading but thankfully the smoke wouldn't hinder her view. This was going to harder than she thought but was glad it was her team facing the unending hoards rather than her sister team.

Using her rifle Ruby dropped to her knees and felt instant relief loosing her boots. Taking great care she brought her cape to the side so her right shoulder would have some extra padding before bringing the rifle to her left. Grimacing she lay on her stomach but after only a moment her body relaxed as it found its most comfortable position in days. She enjoyed a slight tingle in her toes but knew that the pain was only in hiding.

She lowered her hood and held her breath until she could feel her heartbeat slow. As much as she enjoyed cutting Grimm apart with her scythe she found almost as much pleasure in sniping them.

Dialing in her scope Ruby began searching for landmarks so she could easily find her teammates and direct them in the chaos, but Yang turned out to be easy to find as she was literally on fire with Grimm barely giving her enough room to breath. Because of her short range the beasts' teeth and claws all had to be within punching distance but that suited her just fine. Occasionally they would draw blood but that would only cause her anger to burn brighter and her punches hit that much harder.

Perhaps for that reason Weiss was keeping some distance between the two while keeping the blonde's exposed back covered. Her blade was burning and flames were flying off her rapier surrounding around Yang making her even stronger.

A black blur caught Ruby's eye and she dialed out to see around the perimeter. Smaller Grimm were disintegrating but the girl wielding a katana and cleaver was hardly acknowledged. All the monsters' focus was on the fiery figure killing their brethren while another in white guarded her flanks.

Ruby glanced down at her wrist and rolled her eyes at her sister's tag for Blake as it was both vulgar and a reference to her being a cat faunus.

_I thought you were more creative than that sis..._

"Blake," She trained her scope further up the street. "leave Yang and Weiss to the fighting for now and focus on the civilians. The Grimm are leaving you alone-"

She grimaced remembering Torchwick's foul words.

_'Most Grimm think they're nothing more than animals...and they're right.'_

"Because Yang is bringing them all to her." She said quickly shaking her head.

From her cross hairs she saw Blake nod and followed the faunus' shadow as it flitted about the streets of Vale in between homes looking for survivors. Together they worked as a team with Blake crawling through broken windows while Ruby covered her killing any Grimm that approached. Whenever she ran into a Grimm to big for her to handle she'd signal for her sniper to take them out.

While she found more empty homes than occupied Blake kept the tragic scenes to herself wanting to spare the young girl. Luckily those were even rarer than finding a house with living occupants and those she would close their wounds and lead them to safety.

Ruby quickly lost track of time and was only vaguely aware of her body tingling. She lost herself in protecting her friends and making sure they were in the best possible positions. They had gained some ground but it seemed every Grimm in the city was wanting a piece of her sister. Sometimes a bullhead would fly over causing her heart to flutter but they'd always fly toward the walls or another part of the city. She had seen a few Atlesian Knights fall but suspected they'd been destroyed soon after landing.

"Weiss," She said spotting a glowing orb hanging in the air. "there's a Deathstalker to the east. Send Yang before it causes too much damage."

The heiress planted her rapier into the ground and spikes made of ice struck the nearest Grimm creating some room to breath.

"Why don't you tell her?!" She cried. "I'm busy!"

Ruby tuned up the volume so her partner could hear what was being picked up by Yang's pocket scroll and made a mental note to put a lien in the swear jar for her sister when they got back home.

"That's why." She answered. "Plus I don't think she can hear me."

Weiss jumped as an explosion engulfed the blonde. Apparently she had run out of regular shotgun shells and was now using her projectile ammo at close range.

"Uh, Yang?" She squeaked.

Crimson eyes turned and a mouth snarled. Without looking she closed a hand around a Beowolf's snout and squeezed.

*gulp*

"Um, Ruby, your sister, whom you love dearly," Weiss stuttered. "tells me there's a Deathstalker that way."

Yang grunted and took off running dragging the Grimm along for the ride. Weiss whimpered with relief that Yang didn't seem to recall all the times she'd called her a '_blonde bimbo'_ or her sister a '_dolt' _before following.

From her perch Ruby watched the pair charge towards the scorpion while the monsters were on the heels causing Weiss to slow them down with ice glyphs.

"Blake-"

"Already there." She coughed. "Could use a hand though."

The caped-girl found where Blake was pulling a family out of what had once been their home before the Deathstalker had gotten to it. She was covered in shallow claw marks from where her life had narrowly ended but had either been too quick or Ruby's accuracy too great.

An Ursa Major was sneaking up on her and even though her bow twitched she paid it little mind as a moment later she heard it fall to the ground and black tar spilled on her boots.

She gave a thankful wave to the bricked building far in the distance where a red cape flapped in the wind.

The caped-girl pulled a fresh clip of ammo from the back of her belt and fed it into Crescent Rose. Empty casings littered the rooftop making her nervous. Her belt was feeling lighter by the minute despite doing her best to conserve ammo. If reinforcements didn't come soon she might have to break her promise and start tearing Grimm apart with her blade. It was hard to be an effective sniper without any bullets.

She followed Blake though the cross hairs making sure she and the family made it to safety. The apartment from where she was shooting had been made a safe house of sorts so Ruby could keep an eye on them while Yang led the Grimm further away. The plan had been to push forward until they found the breach but her sister was reversing the plan so all the Grimm came to her.

Seeing the beacon of yellow flames Ruby dialed her scope to where she and Weiss were fighting the Deathstalker, or to what it seemed to her giving it a mercy killing.

Yang had torn off all the armor that had been on the scorpion's head and claws while Weiss was focusing on a strong gravity glyph around the stinger. Ruby couldn't help but smile knowing her teammates were copying her plan but doubted Yang was thinking that far ahead. More than likely she was just punching whatever she could reach.

Finally when the golden orb fell Yang drove it through its skull and Weiss propelled her back to an ice barricade she'd created before it could explode.

Parts of the Deathstalker flew everywhere but they didn't take time to admire their handy work as Yang's charged back into the fray burning the monsters she hated while Weiss covered her back. Everything her white blade came into contact with turned to ice and every moment was deliberate and methodical, but she was tiring.

She stumbled as a Creep shattered to pieces and all around Grimm charged forward only to dissipate due to being in Ruby's cross hairs.

Weiss waved her blade returning it to normal as ice shot all around her creating a small barrier for her to kneel behind.

"Reloading!" She yelled into her scroll.

The Grimm closed in but she didn't even flinch as bullets whipped her hair finding their targets. Weiss wasn't sure if Ruby was just showing off or if it was her partner's _subtle_ way of letting her know she was there, either way she found it oddly comforting.

She opened Myrtenaster's chambers dumping the remains of the crystals on the ground watching the colored smoke rise. She had been using her special white vial as a last resort since her other cylinders had run empty. It was her most powerful crystal and could kill even the most armored Grimm without her semblance, but didn't last long. She opened her dust pouch and grimaced. Like Yang and Ruby, she was dangerously close to running out. Filling the cylinders with an assortment of vials she gave it a spin and got to her feet now that her break was over.

"Reload Yang!" She shouted as she sent fire to the girl's aid.

The Grimm began to back away and Yang did as she was told as if on autopilot not noticing she'd spent the last few minutes killing Grimm without her gauntlets and that her knuckles had begun bleeding long ago.

"How are we doing Ruby?" Weiss asked stabbing an Ursa in the neck and watching it burn.

The caped-girl moved her scope out and frowned. She still hadn't found the breach but it didn't seem to matter as they'd drawn most of the beasts to them.

"Grimm just keep coming and-"

"Not that dolt." Weiss breathed tiredly. "I mean us. How much more can we take?"

Ruby had to blink several times to rid herself of the cross hair embedded in her eye. Glancing at her wrist she saw Blake's aura had dropped but wasn't in serious danger yet and Weiss' was matching which made her partner proud. Despite being the support of the team the heiress was holding her own on the front line barely needing her semblance or an aura shield.

Seeing a red tag labeled _'Qrow's second favorite'_ Ruby scowled but was more than a little surprised that her aura supply had risen slightly, then remembered that the painkillers were probably the culprit. Her aura might not even know there was anything wrong with her.

"Specifically Yang." Weiss added.

Ruby's heart skipped a beat seeing her sister's aura shield completely gone and her mouth became dry seeing all of Yang's aura being used to fan the flames and her body a vessel to contain it. Her temperature was sky rocketing as was her heartbeat.

She gritted her teeth unsure what the right call was. Yang had already passed her limit but was the only thing keeping them in the fight. Weiss was doing her best but wasn't even killing a fourth of what the blonde was.

_At this rate you'll lose the bet. _Yang's voice teased and as if by chance the red tag changed causing Ruby's eye to twitch.

"I haven't done that in years!" She screamed.

"Huh?"

She quickly muted Weiss so only the faunus could hear.

"Hey Blake." She said after regaining her composure.

"Yeah?"

Ruby found her wiping a mix of blood and sweat off her face while taking a moment to breath.

"Do you see any more civilians?"

Blake shook her head knowing she was in the girl's sights. She had plenty of experience to know when a gun was pointed at her, friendly or otherwise.

"That's good because Yang and Weiss are in trouble and they could use-"

Before Ruby could finish her sentence Blake was gone and Weiss couldn't hide her relief as the girl's shadow appeared beside her.

"Glad you could finally join us." She greeted. "Welcome to hell, or as some call it Yang's fantasy."

The blonde blew up another Grimm causing her to disappear in a cloud of red dust.

"Minus the cute guys and beach of course."

Blake nodded and began sizing up the monsters that had them surrounded. She took a defensive posture knowing she'd have trouble holding her ground unlike Weiss and her dust infused rapier.

A Creep launched itself wishing to tear through her chest but she struck it between the eyes with her cleaver before driving her katana through its neck. Both her blades had a faint purple glow as she channeled her aura around the steel. Normally her fighting style was opportunistic in nature and centered around quick distractions and probing for weaknesses, but having to defend a line against waves of Grimm meant she would have to adjust.

While Weiss fought with surgical precision, Yang with brute strength, and Ruby with unparalleled speed and a massive scythe, Blake had incorporated all their styles in her own and fell back on her leader's motto.

_'Kill anything that moves.'_

Blake roared as she combined her weapons to lob off the head of an Ursa before splitting them apart again as a pair of Beowolves lunged forward. She stabbed one in the throat but the other caught her cleaver with it's teeth. The beast shook her arm violently as she tried to pull free and felt a claw rake her shoulder.

She bared her teeth and a purple light filled the beast's mouth. Pushing forward she cut through until the creature was laying in two.

Her head was dizzy from the sudden drop in aura, something that she wasn't used to causing her to gasp for breath and back peddle into Weiss as more Grimm pushed forward. The monsters began dropping however as gaping holes appeared in their chests giving the pair precious seconds to regroup.

"Pull back!" Ruby commanded firing her rifle. "You're getting overrun!"

As Weiss turned her head to relay to the order to Yang, she noticed the Grimm were now keeping their distance from the blonde as she continued to swing at monsters that weren't there. Turning back she saw Blake slice another Beowolf with her combined weapon but had to catch herself mid-swing when her next target retreated.

Keeping their weapons raised in fear of a ruse they backed into Yang who continued to punch invisible Grimm until Blake laid a gentle hand on her partner's bloody arm lowering it.

"Huh?" She said in a drunken daze as the faunus patted her shoulder.

"I don't like this." Weiss muttered. Something didn't feel right and it wasn't the black tar stuck to her cloths, skin, and even hair.

"Ruby, do you see anything?"

The caped-girl looked all around but all she could see was Grimm and more on their way. The breach was supposed to be south but the beasts were also coming from the east and west.

"No, but I want you to make a break for it to the north the first chance y'all get. I can cover your backs and meet you down there."

From Yang's low growl she seemed to understand the plan and obviously didn't like it. She wasn't one to back down from a fight no matter the odds and Ruby had made her a promise to stay safe.

Weiss wiped her brow seeing more Grimm appearing but not attacking. Despite having breathing room for the first time in over an hour she was nervous and weary. She much preferred having been swarmed and realized she was beginning to sound like her partner.

Blake looked for a break in the lines but her keen eyes caught something on the younger Grimm's faces she didn't quite recognize.

_Was that fear?_

_*rumble*_

"Um, Blake?" Weiss whimpered. "Did you feel that?"

The faunus swallowed as the pavement beneath their feet rolled.

"I think whatever made that breach..."

"Just found us..."

_*twitch*_

Blake didn't have time to give a warning, instead grabbed them both and shadow jumped before the ground could open up and swallow them.

She landed on her feet gracefully with her weapons drawn ready to be attacked but the Grimm simply backed away.

"What now?" Weiss groaned rubbing her backside as Blake gave her a hand.

Yang already had her chin lowered and fists raised while Ruby looked through her scope barely breathing.

_*hisssss*_

Everyone froze as a forked tongue poked out of the abyss tasting the ashen air. A serpent with an ivory head the size of a truck slithered out and the team's stomachs dropped seeing its six foot long fangs that looked sharper than even Crescent Rose.

_*hisssss*_

A second head slithered out of the darkness also completely covered in ivory armor except for the red markings of a Grimm mask and a few black streaks across its top. Both creatures opened their mouths fully and the girls could see row after row of teeth all longer than them.

"A King Taijitu..." Weiss shuddered.

"Wow." Was all Blake could say.

Red eyes enveloped the girls and they could see their weary reflections looking as though they were covered in blood. Yang put herself between her friends and the two headed snake letting her own crimson eyes reflect the world burning. Blake tried to stop her but the girl's violent aura knocked her hand aside and she felt as though she'd grabbed a hot stove.

"Ruby," Weiss whispered. "what's the pl-"

The heads snapped forward before she could finish and Weiss activated a panic induced ice glyph but the black accented head broke through with ease. Both she and Blake raised their weapons but were thrown across several yards landing hard on their backs.

Yang's feet slid through pavement while sparks and yellow paint flew off her gauntlets as she blocked the massive fangs of the other head. Her rage began tipping over but someone familiar sobered her mind for a moment.

"Hold on!" Ruby cried. "I'm on my way."

Yang roared letting her voice carry to even her friends' scrolls. "No! Stay back like I told you! We'll handle this!"

"But-"

Yang's pupils disappeared as she grabbed the King Taijitu's fangs with her bare hands. Despite her ankles being buried in the pavement she was still being pushed back by its awesome force while Blake and Weiss fought the other head.

Weiss stabbed the titans's underbelly with her now fiery rapier but it bounced off the thick armor. She plunged the weapon into the ground engulfing it in flames but all she did was char it. Gritting her teeth in frustration she created a of propulsion glyph for Blake to strike at the beasts eyes.

She landed a series of hits but Weiss flicked her wrist before Blake could be impaled by a fang and even the faunus seemed surprised by the King Taijitu's speed as she landed beside the heiress.

"Get out of there!" Ruby cried.

They dodged out of the way as a monochrome tail slammed the ground but fangs shot towards them.

Weiss activated a heavy flame glyph under Blake's feet.

"Shadow jump." The heiress strained. "NOW!"

The snake head struck and a fiery shadow of Blake dived into the snake's gaping mouth before exploding. High in the air the faunus combined her weapons and cried out as she gathered as much aura as she could. With a gravity glyph pulling her down she drove the blade into the snake's head engulfing it in a purple light.

Blake felt the armor cracking but her head whipped back as the creature turned upside down. Her eyes widened seeing the sidewalk quickly approaching and let go of her weapon before she could be smeared across the pavement like a road killed animal, or in this case over a dozen heavily armored Grimm.

She landed on her feet stumbling slightly but had a firm grip around Gambol Shroud's extended ribbon and pulled it tight.

"Weiss!" She cried as loudly as she could.

Blake felt the weight of a hundred gravity glyphs on her muscles as she fell to her knees yanking the ribbon and the head it was attached into the ground. With a deft hand she caught the combined weapon and with a mighty overhead swing purple aura jumped off the blade and into the beast's face.

Black tar spilled onto the ground and dust filled the air. Blake tilted her head back and smiled at the heiress who was holding the sides of her head attempting to smile back.

"Did we get it?" She asked.

_*hisssss*_

The white mask of the snake landed a few yards from the girls and a shadow fell over them. Craning their necks they saw the malevolent eyes of the King Taijitu piercing their souls as buckets of tar poured from its now armorless black head.

The girls could only watch and comment with a simple curse as the beast struck again.

Yang felt the ground shake but all she could see was the monster's mouth and her bloody hand prints on its ivory fangs. Bits of armor were flaking off because of her power while larger chunks were being shot off by red dust explosions courtesy of Ruby. The caped-girl began to concentrate on the beast's lidless eyes but as the smoke cleared they were focused on what was to become its first meal in centuries.

Her legs sunk another inch into the pavement and under the extreme pressure Yang's knees threatened to buckle.

The clouds of rage in her mind began to clear as she imagined herself standing on the edge of the world slowly leaning forward towards the point of no return. Yang's semblance had finally reached its pinnacle and her body could no longer contain the fire that could burn no brighter.

Yang's entire body felt feverish from her hair all the way to her toes and felt as if she were burning from the inside out. Her heart was pounding against her chest threatening to escape and she felt a rush like she'd never had before.

Bullets were whistling beside her mane but since she couldn't hear Crescent Rose firing it meant Ruby was far away and safe. Only after this thought of her baby sister did Yang allow herself to leap off the edge into the awaiting arms of intoxicating power.

Looking up she could see lilac reflected in the Grimm's eyes causing her to grin.

"Hey beautiful," She said watching the golden flames dance in her hair. "anyone ever tell you you're hotter than the sun?"

Her eyes turned back to crimson and all she could see was fire, then finally darkness.

The ice shield protecting Weiss and Blake shattered along with windows from across the district as the pair were thrown across the street and black tar rained from the sky. They both curled into balls as they landed with Blake clutching her ears and Weiss wrapping her arms around her head as the last second glyph and its destruction left it pounding.

"What happened?" Weiss asked between her teeth.

A choking sound followed by the miserable sound of sobbing answered from their wrists.

"Ruby?" Blake groaned as she brushed shards of ice away. "What was that?"

The black head of the King Taijitu howled above thrashing in torment. They watched the flames engulfing its belly and the shape of a body standing in the fire. Finally as it began to fade both girls forgot how to breath as Yang Xiao Long, the greatest fighter they had ever seen crumbled to the ground while black tar pooled around her from the snake's missing head.

"No..." Blake shook her head unable to fathom her partner falling.

"YANG!" Screamed a voice sounding like a dying animal as it called out for her sister causing both their hearts to skip.

Once it's pain subsided the remaining black head of the King Taijitu glared at the girl bathing in the _blood_ of its stronger half. The creature screeched as it snapped its head back intending to finish her off but a broken fang was caught by Gambol Shroud's ribbon and a strong gravity glyph knocked the head off its target slinging Blake across the street landing beside her partner.

"Please be okay." She prayed. "Please Yang."

She dropped to her knees grimacing as the pavement had melted slightly. Carefully she turned Yang over and saw patches of skin on her face and body that looked as though a fire had tried to burn its way out.

Blake held her breath as she pressed an ear against her partner's chest. After an eternity she heard a weak thump and felt the chest rise slightly causing her's to flutter.

"It's okay." Blake exhaled into her scroll. "Yang's still breathing."

_Just barely..._

"She's unconscious but-"

Blake flinched as razor sharp fangs stopped within a yard from her face while a powerful ice glyph began to wall them off.

"Get Yang out of here!' Weiss cried as a propulsion glyph sent her tumbling to their side.

Blake felt a cold chill down her spine. Whether it was because of her partner's breathing or the heiress' frigid aura she wasn't sure.

Weiss plunged her flaming rapier into the ice causing a thick mist to cover the area before extinguishing the flames.

She grabbed the faunus' hand and created an ice glyph around all three of them.

"Shadow jump!" She ordered as the fangs broke through the barrier.

The girls shattered into shards of ice as they were struck and the black head cocked its head to the side tasting the blood in the air.

"We don't have much time." Weiss whispered now on the other side of the snake facing north.

Both were breathing heavily unlike Yang and couldn't even raise their weapons as an impatient Beowolf leaped forward only to explode midair.

"I'm on my way." Ruby said obviously trying to keep herself together.

"No," Weiss ordered again trying to keep her voice calm and low. "Blake, you need to get Yang out of here."

She knelt down to help lift the larger girl over Blake's shoulder but paused as the girl's mouth moved.

"I'm sorry..." The blonde mumbled barely audible even for Blake. "I screwed up..."

"It's okay." Blake assured her wiping the girl's burnt cheek. "You were amazing Yang."

Weiss nodded but eyed the dark shape moving in the mist. "Ruby, I need you to cover Blake while she moves your sister somewhere safe."

"What about you?" They asked fear creeping into their voices.

The heiress faced the black beast and spun her weapon's cylinder until it landed on a light blue vial and chambered it.

Blake glanced down and could see her and Yang's breath freeze in the air and feel goosebumps on her arms.

"I'm gonna kill it." The heiress snarled echoing the words of her partner.

When the faunus didn't move Weiss flicked her wrist and a small propulsion glyph caused her to stumble.

"Get going." She hissed. "The Grimm aren't going to wait forever."

Another Beowolf lost its head thanks to Crescent Rose's thermal scope getting the snake's attention.

Blake felt something rip out of her chest as she turned misty eyes away to carry her best friend to safety. Once again she was leaving a friend while she ran away. A Grimm leaped at her and she paused to watch its head explode. Closing her eyes she began to shadow jump forward even if it was only a few feet at a time.

Weiss turned her back on her friends hearing the howl of dying Grimm as Ruby covered them with her sniper rifle. Even if it would have only taken her partner a few seconds to enter the battle field it was seconds Yang and Blake didn't have, and in her current condition she doubted the caped-girl could even run half as fast.

The King Taijitu was facing her general direction beginning to draw near. Taking deep breaths she willed her aura to cool her body temperature while the rapier cooled the air. She remembered how snakes saw body heat and knew a King Taijitu wasn't an exception. When she took a step back however Weiss mentally cursed herself hearing heels click.

A propulsion glyph pushed her to the side as the snake struck and she whipped her blade around throwing shards of ice into its face and the air. On instinct she flared her semblance and snowflakes began to fall. Swallowing the lump in her throat she took a gentle step back finding the ground now cushioned by a thin layer of snow.

Her head began to feel light and her body like lead. She could feel herself reaching her end like Yang and knew she didn't have much more to give. She was relieved to hear the sounds of dying Grimm further up the street which meant her distraction was working, but she buried the warm feelings deep under ice.

There was no way she'd let herself die looking like a trainwreck without makeup or even a shower.

_Trainwreck. _Her mind chuckled. _Yang would appreciate that one. _

As the mist faded Weiss backed up and heard something slither. Glancing behind her she could see the snake had her surrounded with its burnt body and the coils began to tighten.

A forked tongue tasted the air above the heiress and she began losing ground quickly. Before she could be crushed another propulsion glyph activated sending her flying into the air only to be caught by a black gravity glyph that broke under her weight. Getting off the snowy ground she stared back into the beast's red eyes and took a deep breath that quickly caught on the back of her throat. She could no longer see her breath in the air and the red eyes were looking directly at her. Her blade was no longer glowing and Weiss found it ironic that her team was right, she wasn't as cold as she pretended to be and now it would cost her, her life.

Weiss studied the black head that was slowly dissipating and noted that one of the fangs had been cut in half while tar gushed out its sides. The snake was going to die but it wanted one last meal before being gone forever. The creature cried out as it unhinged its jaw and the heiress cursed wanting the last word for a change.

The snake lunged and Weiss roared raising her rapier as the jaws fell around her. With a perfect strike she impaled the roof of the monster's mouth and sticky black tar showered her but she felt something sink into her arm breaking the skin.

_*snap*_

Weiss' roar became that of a high pitched scream and finally a growl as she pressed forward letting the broken fang sink deeper into her flesh. She clutched Myrtenaster's hilt with both hands as she lost the feeling in the left.

She raised two fingers with her right and a black circle surrounded the creature's head. With her thumb she slowly spun Myrtenaster's cylinder coming to a stop on its nearly empty white vial. The crystal chambered and the glyph instantly turned white as a blizzard blew through.

Everything began to spin for the heiress and she knew only seconds remained of her aura and life.

"There's a reason why they call me the Ice Queen, and you're about to find out why."

The beast's head began to freeze and Weiss' rapier changed to that of a white claymore almost eight feet in length and pierced the top of the snakes head between its eyes.

With a flourish of the blade Myrtenaster returned to normal and jerking it away she felt the fang being ripped from bone. She fell to her knees as the blizzard disappeared as quickly as it came and the snake's head hit the ground shattering into millions of pieces while its body began dissipating for good.

Weiss clutched her left sleeve watching as it became soaked in scarlet. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she felt the wound freeze along with her tears which she desperately tried to blink away.

She heard the growls of Beowolves behind her but as she went to raise her weapon a shock went throughout her body causing even her toes to curl. Hot breath pricked the hairs on the back of her neck and she turned to see a mouthful of teeth snarling at her.

Before she had time to scream a claw dug into her chest pinning her to the ground. She tried desperately to move Myrtenaster with all her might but couldn't even raise it an inch.

The Beowolf and its pack stood on their hind legs howling at the shattered moon that had decided to show itself for the occasion.

Weiss screamed as she felt the claw start to tear and her vision became red...

_Red like roses._

The heiress caught what she thought were a dozen Grimm being slain but was blinded by petals. She felt small arms being wrapped around her and heard the caped-girl groan.

"Hold on!"

Weiss' head whipped back as she gripped Ruby's shoulders feeling the wind stinging her face and the sensation as if she were flying. Gunshots rang out sending electricity down her arm but she could hardly feel it over the rush of what it must be like to be her partner. Just as she was about to allow herself to enjoy it the rose petals disappeared while they were still in the air.

Ruby landed on her back embracing Weiss to break her fall and the heiress rolled to a stop a few yards away. Despite their clenched teeth they both cried out as their bodies shuddered in agony atop a small apartment rooftop Ruby had been aiming for.

Once the caped-girl was sure nothing was broken and found the ability to speak she called out to her partner.

"Weiss," She moaned. "are you okay?"

The heiress whimpered causing Ruby's eyes to water. Weiss had her pale face pressed against the concrete buried under dirty tangles of hair while she cradled the broken arm against her chest staining her expensive cloths.

Ruby's lip quivered watching her partner and seeing the nobility of the heiress stripped away. She knew Weiss hated to be seen in such a frail state so she forced herself to look away towards the southern walls where a dark cloud seemed to reflect her mood. She squinted however as it shifted and began to dance against the wind.

_Nevermores._ She thought absently. The danger was so far away it barely registered and even the Grimm's roars down below seemed miles away.

_*Ppppppssshhhhuuuuu*_

A green light streaked across the fiery sky like a comet causing Ruby's eyes to shine.

The cloud of darkness began to dissolve and an old memory flickered in the back of her mind. She could still remember the cool night air, the smell and taste of sea salt, the burning sensation of the fireball, and would never forget witnessing a bullhead being split in two by a laser beam. It had been the same color as the glowing eyes of her friend.

"Penny..."

She continued to stare as if hypnotized by the brilliant radiance and her body began to tremble. Something was entwined with the light and the way it blew in the wind was all too familiar to the caped-girl.

Using all her strength Ruby raised her rifle and peered into its scope. Wrapped around the green beam as if in an embrace was a red ribbon, and high above the City of Vale the flock of Nevermores were turning to rose petals and scattering across the sky.

Crescent Rose fell to her feet indignantly as the memory of her petals in Penny's hands caused her to choke. She glanced down as if expecting to see metal under her raw trigger fingers but she only found the innumerable injuries she'd become intimate with since the night of the dance.

She looked up and stared at the red sky with her eye color returning as the green light faded.

"You paid me back."

Unlike her teammates Ruby never dwelt on the mystery of her miraculous recovery and was never truly troubled by it. Perhaps in the recesses of her mind she'd already drawn the lines but never bothered to look at the full picture. There hadn't been just one aura transfer, there had been two.

Her recovery, the fluctuating aura, the return of her injuries, and even the hiccups that had so greatly annoyed her partner made sense now.

"I told you Penny." She said reaching for the rose petals before they could disappear. "You have a soul, I can feel it."

"Mhmmm."

She was brought back to reality not by the roars of Grimm, but the weak cries of her partner. Weiss was cradling her blood soaked arm with her face contorted in torment but Myrtenaster still hung in her limp arm out of sheer stubbornness.

Ruby felt renewed determination watching and picked up her rifle searching for her teammates through the sea of Grimm. More monsters were pouring into the streets from the breach the King Taijitu had created and were creating a trail for her to follow. She gasped seeing her sister slumped on the ground next to a dumpster in an ally while Blake stood at the entrance swinging her weapons wildly as she tried to keep the monsters attention on her not on her helpless partner, and unfortunately she was succeeding.

The girl was without an aura shield or any room to breath but had made a choke point so she only had to fight a few Grimm at a time. At first they seemed content enough to ignore her and focus on the unconscious blonde but after the first few waves fell the mature Grimm began patiently pushing the tired faunus back.

Blake wasn't going to run, she was going to give her life to protect Ruby's sister, and for that the caped-girl wanted to cry.

Ruby put a Beowolf between her cross-hairs and pulled the trigger feeling no remorse or pity for her target after what they'd done to her family, friends, and the only homes she had ever known.

_*click*_

Her heart stopped.

_*click, click*_

Wide eyed she quickly fished around for heavy ammo in her pouch but instead pulled out low grade yellow which would only tickle the older Grimm. Cursing she threw it aside in frustration not caring about the warm knife twisting in her right shoulder and extended her scythe's blade.

Weiss' her eyes shot open hearing Crescent Rose and saw her partner loosening her bandages with her teeth. In battle Ruby's face was rarely anything except emotionless and passive as if she were the scythe herself, but now the heiress was witness to all that the caped-girl hid under her hood, and she couldn't help but feel her own pain subsiding and knew it had nothing to do with her arm going numb due to the cold.

"Are your pain killers wearing off?" She asked weakly.

Ruby nodded barely hearing. "Yeah, a little..."

She paused as realization spread on her face.

"How did you-?"

"Because I'm not oblivious and I pay attention to my best friend." Weiss smiled but it looked painful. "And it's the only way you could have gone this long without keeling over dolt."

Ruby grimaced as it seemed everyone except the person who trusted her the most knew about her little _secret_.

"You didn't stop at me." She noted. "Or tell me to stay back like Yang did."

Weiss shook her head. "Arguing with you is like beating my head against a brick wall and my skull isn't as thick as yours or your sister's, and I knew she'd get her way."

The heiress coughed and spat blood. "Plus I figured I'd be dead without you. Glad I was right."

Her weary smile faded_. But more importantly you were in a lot of physical pain Ruby, and you'd have only felt worse if you couldn't fight._

The heiress raised herself to her knees but looked as though her short speech had taken away her breath. Ruby watched her with great concern but from pleading eyes.

"Weiss," The bandage around her shoulder blew away. "Yang and Blake are going to die if we don't save them."

"How?" She asked looking down because of her tears. "Ruby, I don't have anything left and neither do you."

Ruby swallowed. "Yes _you _do and _I_ have a plan."

The wind caught her cape but it didn't move an inch.

"I need a haste glyph."

Weiss' head shot up despite her wet cheeks and her face became flushed with a mix of anger, frustration, and fear.

"Ruby no!" She cried. "Even if I had enough strength your aura is too low, you're too injured, and that kind of power could-"

"Kill me?" Ruby asked cocking her head to the side. "People are going to die either way Weiss, and my sister will not be one of them and neither will Blake."

She stood above the heiress with her six foot scythe extended but knelt down to look her in the eyes.

"Please Weiss," Her voice cracked. "that's my big sis and I can't lose her, Blake, or you."

Weiss felt her eyes sting as she remembered the sacrifice of Summer Rose and how it haunted both her daughters. This sounded too similar to the story Ruby had told and what Yang had briefly mentioned.

"But your mother..."

Ruby regarded her partner carefully and her body tensed up.

"My mom died trying to save me and all of Patchwork. She only saved one person and that was me."

The caped-girl felt a pain in her chest that didn't come from injuries.

"I'm not my mom." She got to her feet and pulled her hood up. "I'm going to save everyone, with or _without_ your help."

"Ruby, I can't."

"Yes you can." She urged nearing desperation as she heard Gambol Shroud firing from her scroll, something Blake would only do if she were desperate. "You're stronger than you think. You proved it in the lost city, on the train, against the Deathstalker, and by finishing off that King Taijitu."

"What about you?"

The caped-girl's silver eyes began to glow and on her lips were the words she detested but she swallowed them. Weiss' eyes fell as she knew exactly who her partner was and what she was born to be. She caught Ruby holding her rapier's blade as it shimmered faintly and she shook her hand feeling frost on her fingertips.

For the first time Weiss despised her weapon for betraying her.

"The leftover aura around Myrtenaster should be enough to activate the glyph." Ruby breathed.

Weiss shook her head. "But without much aura I'll need a lot more dust than normal and I don't know how long I'll be able to keep it up for."

Without hesitation Ruby reached into Weiss' dust pouch pulling out six yellow vials and skillfully opened Myrtenaster's cylinder dumping the other crystals so expertly her partner didn't feel even a twinge in her broken arm as the girl reloaded the chambers. She got to her feet and lifted the heiress keeping her steady. The southpaw moved Myrtenaster to her off hand so it hung awkwardly unused to the weight.

"Ready?" Weiss asked. _Because I'm not._

Ruby pulled her hood down over her eyes before turning her partner's wrist over along with her now yellow blade. She rested her hand just above Weiss' and felt her hair stand up due to the lightning dust.

"Ready!"

Together they plunged the blade into the roof and six small black glyphs surrounded the caped-girl. Weiss flicked the wrist of her broken arm and the circles combined to envelope her in gold.

Ruby's face shone under her hood and glancing up she noticed birds stopping mid air. The pain in her body disappeared and was replaced with power. Electricity was coursing through her body reminding her of the time she'd stuck Crescent Rose into the toaster, and Ruby could almost swear she could feel the planet moving beneath her feet.

Weiss slumped to the ground resting her pounding head against the rapier's hilt. Her icy blue eyes were gold as the two were now connected but were flickering.

"Please hurry Ruby..."

_I don't know how long you can last._

The caped-girl nodded and disappeared in a cloud of red. Down below Grimm didn't even feel the scythe pass through them as rose petals spilled into the street.

Weiss heard a loud roar coming from her scroll and it took a moment for her to realize it was Blake.

"Grrrhhhaa!"

With her blades buried deep in the mouths of Grimm, Blake tried to shadow jump to safety but the teeth had her trapped and she was helpless against the open jaws of an Creep.

Just as the noxious smell of blood on its breath made her nose twitch Gambol Shroud became free and the heads of Grimm landed at her feet before dissipating.

Blake stood gaping at the rose petals looking for a bellowing cape but couldn't find it. Before she could contemplate further a violent wind knocked her to the ground followed by the sound of thunder. Her knees scrapped the concrete and she dug in her blades realizing she was being carried away.

"What's happening?!" She hollered.

Yang's eyes fluttered open but the world was white and sheets were falling from the sky like a snowstorm. Something had squeezed her arm but glancing down all she saw were pale rose petals in the shape of a hand.

"Summer?" She asked not sure where or even, _when_, she was.

_Why didn't I ever call you mom? _Her puzzled mind asked.

Yang caught a glimpse of what she thought was a hooded figure causing her to close her eyes and remember all the apologies she'd wanted to say for being so mean as a kid.

When she opened them everything began to spin as the color of the world returned, but all she could see was red and she still wasn't sure if she was dreaming or not.

She glanced down again at the unmistakable handprint of her baby sister.

_Ruby..._

Thorns bit into her arm but she hardly noticed and was dully aware of her body floating. Letting the winds carry her, Yang was at the entrance of the ally when something grabbed her shoe. She kicked her legs feebly but found freeing herself too much trouble and instead watched as Grimm were torn apart causing more rose petals to fly.

Yang reached out for a handful but felt something fall atop of her.

"Look out!"

Blake shoved the blonde's head down before a large rock could strike her and she used her own body to shield Yang from garbage cans.

"Stay down!" She yelled as her partner squirmed.

The fog in Yang's eyes began to clear as a truck rolled down the street crushing other cars and Grimm before they too were carried off.

_It's like the lunchroom at the beginning of the semester..._

Blake tied Gambol Shroud's ribbon around her partner's wrist and sunk her blades another few inches into the ground. Her arms felt as though they were being ripped from their sockets and the debris hitting her wasn't helping. She gasped for breath tasting roses and cursed as once again she lost sight of the caped-girl.

A loud crashed caused her to forget her search and just in time she watched as a bus and several other vehicles were swallowed by the ground. Her keen eyes finally caught a glimpse of Ruby's cape and was able to track it for a few seconds before losing it again.

_Why is her cape gold?_

Her eyes widened.

"Weiss!" She cried into her scroll. "What's going on!?"

There was silence on the other end and just when she was about to repeat herself the heiress spoke up.

"Ruby's...plugging...the...breach...and...I'm...helping."

Blake could barely hear her weak voice and grimaced as her suspicion was true. Weiss needed full concentration to keep a haste glyph active or else it could backfire, and Blake knew all too well how dangerous that could be.

With Ruby's life in her hands Weiss opened a gold eye and saw they'd already burned through over half of the yellow vials as she pulled aura from reserves she didn't know existed.

_*flicker*_

She glanced at her scroll barely bothering with her own vitals before focusing on Ruby's. Everything had to be timed exactly right if one of them wasn't going to die.

_Just a little longer. Keep it together Ice Queen, she's counting on you._

_*flicker*_

In the ally Blake was losing her grip. Her fingernails were clawing at the hilt of her katana when something slammed into her shoulder. She reached out for the ribbon but only caught air and rose petals. Completely weightless amid chaos she tucked her chin and curled into a ball making herself as small as possible hoping she'd be carried somewhere safe.

Slowly, almost gently she was set down beside Yang. Keeping her head low she saw debris still spinning and realized they were in the eye of the storm.

"Ruby..." Her partner murmured.

Blake's eyes followed where Yang was reaching towards and found the caped-girl running in the street as if chains were wrapped around her feet where the King Taijitu had appeared and met its end. The golden light emanating from her body was going out with every step until at last it faded completely.

All at once it was as if the entire world was falling. Cars, streetlights, signs, strips of pavement, and even remains of houses landed without her acknowledgment. Finally when the entrance to hell was covered by a mountain of rubble Ruby glanced toward the ally and Blake felt her heart skip reading her lips.

_I love you sis._

Ruby's world became dull but the last thing she saw were misty lilac eyes before she dropped Crescent Rose and her body crumbled. Rose petals fell to the ground and beside their master staining the ground red like blood.

Yang's outstretched arm fell as the handprint on her arm withered away while Blake shook her head in disbelief.

_That's not possible. _She kept repeating in her mind.

An elbow to her side told Blake her partner was trying to rise. Holding her head the faunus untied the ribbon before pushing away the overturned garbage and glass.

"Rubes..."

Blake grimaced suppressing a groan as she lifted the larger, half conscious girl. Slowly she began navigating through the rubble as Yang's feet dragged.

"Ahhh!"

She paused as down the street a white figure fell from a rooftop before landing _gracefully_ in a someone's hedges. A gravity glyph had tried to slow their momentum but they'd passed right through onto their backside.

"Weiss." Blake breathed in relief.

The heiress slowly got to her feet with help of a tree to lean against while using Myrtenaster for leverage. Blake realized something was wrong as Weiss wasn't ambidextrous like her partner and gasped seeing her scarlet sleeve darken.

Blake hurried to the heiress thankful she wasn't far from Ruby as Yang was going to keep moving toward her sister if if it meant she had to crawl. Weiss hobbled along keeping herself steady by hugging whatever she could find while keeping her arm covered. Finally when the pair came to her side Weiss glanced away as if ashamed. She had broken the team's sacred commandment and Blake held her hand out sympathetically.

"Come on Weiss." She said motioning for her to help carry Yang.

Out of the corner of her eye Weiss glanced at the blonde fearful of what she might see but quickly softened as she couldn't find a trace of anger, only love for her sister.

The heiress limped to her side and took an arm over her shoulder.

"She's alive." Weiss stated, but to Blake it sounded more like a prayer.

Yang mumbled the words almost like a chant until they came to the fallen huntress laying face up with rose petals scattered around her.

They were frozen unblinking and unable to breathe watching her lay peacefully with tranquility on her face surrounded by her flowers.

When they finally saw the caped-girl's chest rise they all began weeping with joy and Yang used what little strength she had left to throw herself by her sister's head while Weiss and Blake knelt by her side.

Blake began taking in her injuries and noticed smoke rising from Ruby's boots. She reached out to touch them but recoiled seeing the girl's tattered feet through burnt socks and shoes. Again she shook her head in disbelief and the memory of reading Ruby's hospital record came to her mind.

Beside her Weiss grabbed Ruby's hand shaping it like a fist and giving it a squeeze.

"You did it Ruby." She sniffled. "You saved everyone, just like you promised."

"Your sister's amazing Yang." Blake said looking up. "Yang?"

The blonde had her head leaned against a pile of rubble while her sister's head laid in her lap with a hand lazily playing with Ruby's hair. Instead of her trademark snoring a soft hum was escaping her lips sounding like a lullaby. With exhaustion setting in Blake and Weiss closed their eyes and listened to the song that seemed to play on loop. Neither one were sure what the tune was as they'd never heard many lullabies as children and didn't know if it happened to have been one of Ruby's favorites or it just happened to be the only one Yang knew. Regardless they found themselves humming the little tune.

How long they laid curled up by the caped-girl's side none of them were sure but they were vaguely aware that the sun was starting to rise.

_*twitch*_

Blake didn't hear the engine or spinning blade and it wasn't until the girls' tangled hair whipped their faces that they finally glanced up to see white airships landing a block down the street.

Weiss was no longer filled with pride and excitement by her kingdom's airships, but looking down at her injured partner she held her tongue and squeezed her hand.

Yang on the other couldn't hold her's despite still tasting red dust.

"What took them so long?" She muttered as soldiers dropped from the airships carrying medical equipment while two Atlesian Knights flanked them.

Weiss turned to look at the approaching soldiers and recognition registered on their faces as they uncovered the heiress underneath all the layers of grime.

Feeling her blood pressure rise she puffed out her chest and raised her chin as if she were wearing badges of honor. They saw the ice in her eyes and immediately hurried to her side.

"Ma'am." They saluted. "Are you alright?"

Weiss doing her best to maintain composure pointed toward her teammates and unconscious partner.

"They could use your assistance. I will be fine, thank you for asking."

Only her friends could hear the acid in her otherwise polite tone.

The medics seemed to notice the girls for the first time but didn't react beyond a quick glance. When a soldier took a step towards Weiss to examine her broken arm she raised her rapier slightly to let her threat be known.

Despite being a student of a foreign kingdom, Weiss was the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company and her family all but ran the military, and the entire kingdom for that matter. The soldiers' shiny white armor, weapons, airships, and even the medical supplies they were carrying all had the SDC symbol printed on them.

Weiss didn't care if she was putting them in a compromising position with their superior officers or even with her family, she just wanted her friends taken care of.

_Orders are orders, especially from a Schnee. _The bottom half of their covered faces seemed to say.

Their stiff necks nodded and two men crouched down beside Blake while another pair attempted to pull Yang off her sister in order to do their job.

_Good luck with that. _Weiss thought.

As an heiress, she was used to men trying to impress her and could tell the medics were attempting to do just that by diligently taking care of her friends, but if she had any opinions she kept them to herself as it'd be unladylike to speak them out loud.

Any questions the medics asked were mostly ignored but occasionally Yang would jab one of them if they poked Ruby or herself wrong. That was the only time she'd acknowledge them as she was too focused on watching her baby sister sleep.

Blake would only give a curt '_yes'_ or '_no' _to their questions even when they asked for her name. She would never trust the military of Atlas for the atrocities they'd committed to her kind and just their gloves touching her made Blake want to unsheathe her katana.

When she answered another question with a definitive _no _it took her a moment to notice one of the men pointing at the top of her head.

Reflexively she went to cover her ears but found the little black bow still in place. She paused feeling something damp and withdrawing her hand saw blood. At least that explained why everything sounded watery and why her human senses had taken over.

"Could you remove your bow miss." One of them asked. "With that much blood you could have a serious head injury."

A gloved hand reached out but she slapped it away and kicked the man in the chest having no love for the symbols on his armor.

"We're just trying to help ma'am, calm down." Another soldier's hand reached for her bow from behind and Blake felt a tug on her sensitive ears causing her to cry out.

"STOP IT!" Weiss screamed.

In the blink of an eye the soldier had his hand yanked back by something metallic attached to his wrist. Everyone looked up in shock as an Atlesian Knight stood over him with a faint glow coming from its arm cannon.

They all glanced at the heiress who was doing her best not to look just as surprised and swallowed.

"Release him!" She ordered.

The AK-130 did as it was commanded and stood back at attention with its 200 counterpart that had stood idly by.

_Well isn't that interesting. _The heiress mused eyeing the upgraded model coldly while her grip on Myrtenaster tightened.

Feeling the authority in her name Weiss embraced everything she hated about her legacy and let the cold, cunning eyes of the Ice Queen cut through the soldiers as if they were lower than the dirt she walked on. It was what she'd been taught after all.

"That will be enough." She lowered her voice so they'd be forced to listen closely. "Our leader will need assistance onto a bullhead but my teammates and I will wait until we return to Beacon Academy to receive medical attention."

She let her words hang in the air and when no one moved she glared at the soldiers twice her size and watched them cower.

"Am I understood?"

"YES MA'AM!" They saluted.

Blake was quickly forgotten about and all attention was given to Ruby to prepare her for the trip while they tried to stay clear Yang who refused to let go of her sister's hand.

With her role complete Weiss turned her back on the soldiers and walked to a nearby overturned car to lean against. Taking a deep breath she began to reapply the ice glyph to her arm biting her lip as snowflakes began to appear.

A shadow with a bow cast over her shoulder but she only turned after wiping away the frost from around her eyes.

"Thanks." Blake rasped looking down the girl's arm.

"Don't mention it." She said between breaths before turning back around needing all her concentration for the tiny glyph.

Seeing the girl's attempt futile Blake unclipped the ribbon from Gambol Shroud's hilt and touched the girl's broken arm stopping the glyph and causing her to grimace.

"Sorry."

_*rip*_

"Eeeeppp!" The heiress squealed.

Blake threw the scarlet sleeve to the side and knelt down to create a sling.

"That was my new favorite jacket." She hissed as bolts of electricity shot through her arm.

Blake rolled her eyes amused by the heiress' front returning.

"Sorry princess but there wasn't much to salvage. I'd promise to buy you another but we both know I can't afford it."

She tied a knot finishing the sling and Weiss' body relaxed.

"Better?"

"Much actually." She tested the sling and the restrictive ribbon held.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it." She echoed.

Standing so close to the heiress, Blake couldn't help but notice how warm she was without her aura and found it odd considering how frigid Yang felt in comparison.

"Also thank you for giving Ruby the pain killers." Weiss said keeping her voice low despite their backs facing the blonde and her ears still likely buzzing.

Blake glanced up but didn't seem surprised, mostly just saddened.

"You caught that huh." She sighed. "Listen Weiss, I only did it because-"

"I know why you did it Blake." Weiss interrupted. "Just because I wouldn't have done it for the exact same reasons doesn't mean I wouldn't have done it."

Blake's mouth opened as if she'd been ready to argue but promptly closed it.

"Ruby was in a lot of pain." She continued. "As far as I'm concerned that's all that matters so thank you."

The guilt lifted from Blake's chest causing her to returned the smile and for the first time since she could remember it felt genuine. She grabbed the heiress telling herself it was only to keep themselves steady as high winds gusted from another bullhead landing to let out more troops and supplies.

_"Hahahahahaha!"_

Their hearts skipped as the awful sound of laughter filled the neighborhood causing them to turn in disbelief.

Sitting in a seat with chains around his hands and ankles with four soldiers by his side was a man who'd lost both his shoes and wore tattered rags that looked as though he'd been dug out of the ground. His face was covered in dried blood and on the side of his cheek was the mark of a terrible burn with the imprint of a fist.

"YOU!"

Roman Torchwick glanced down at the blonde who'd shouted and smiled showing off a bloody mouth.

"Me..." The laughing continued as the airship prepared to take off again.

Blake and Weiss knew what Yang was going to do before they even had time to warn the soldiers as they were tossed aside. She was going to finish what she'd started and this time she wouldn't hold back. The man responsible for countless victims and the near destruction of the City of Vale was alive and laughing at her, something that she wanted to fix.

But despite all his sins the only one that truly mattered was laying at her feet on a stretcher.

Yang charged toward his grinning face with Ember Celica raised but she was tackled before she could fire a rocket.

"GET OFF!"

She tried to stand but her teammates were pinning her to the ground as the airship was taking to the sky. Yang tried to reignite her fire but the embers had gone out and her eyes didn't even flicker.

Despite that however it was still taking all of Blake and Weiss' strength and weight just to hold the girl down. They weren't sure how she was even still conscious let alone using her broken body as a weapon but it terrified them to think her rage had nothing to do with her semblance.

"If Red dies am I invited to the funeral?" Torchwick laughed at the blonde's roar but glanced at the faunus meeting her in the eyes.

"I'll be sure to buy a dark suit, Blake." He motioned the tipping of a hat with his shackled hands. "I get the feeling I'll get a lot of use out of it very soon..."

His laughter hung in the air even when the bullhead was gone and Yang slammed her fist before burying her face in the ground. Her friends got to their knees and it broke their hearts to hear her sobs. Despite Yang only being a few months older they looked up to her, almost seeing her as a motherly figure to Ruby and neither girl having that sort of relationship had her to fill that void.

"Yang..."

Her head raised and they all slowly turned to see the caped-girl with her eyes half open.

"Hey guys..."

Yang jumped up and practically dragged her teammates to Ruby's side before grabbing her hand.

"Ruby!" They cried causing the girl to smile.

"Rubes." Her sister said quietly. "You okay sis?"

She nodded. "I think I may have pulled something this time."

_*cough*_

"Can't really feel it though."

Her stretcher rose up coming to a sudden halt giving her a jolt and a grimace.

"See? Didn't feel a thing." Ruby said proudly.

Yang wiped her face on the only spot of Weiss' jacket that was actually almost clean but she didn't seem to mind.

Ruby looked up at her partner with eyes sparkling. "Sorry to worry you, but it looks like we won the bet."

"Shut up dolt!" Weiss cried shaking her head. "I wasn't worried and I never cared about that anyway!"

Despite her tone she was gently wrapping the girl in her cape as if it were a blanket and straightening her crosses.

The caped-girl chuckled and glanced at Blake while opening her hand and looking up expectantly.

_*slap*_

Blake smiled at Ruby wanting the real thing and not the charade she'd pulled earlier. She would have been happy to continue staring but looking at her partner she saw how much she'd come alive and realized they were out of place.

"Hey Weiss," She tapped the heiress on the shoulder. "Let me take a look at your arm."

She nodded knowing the sisters would want a moment together and backed away slowly keeping an eye on her partner.

When they were alone Yang didn't seem to want to talk seemingly content with just being with her baby sister but finally had to speak up.

"You scared me Rubes." Her voice cracked. "You can't keep doing this to me."

Ruby smiled sadly. "I'm sorry Yang. Just don't be mad at Weiss sis. It was my idea and the only way to save you and Blake."

"I'm not mad."

"Liar." Her eyelids began to droop but her smile stayed. "I'll see you back at Beacon sis. I'm a little sleepy right now."

"We'll come visit you first thing."

Ruby shook her head. "You need a doctor as much as I do, and Weiss needs her arm fixed."

"Then I guess we're all sharing a room then. I'll see if they have bunk beds at the hospital."

"That'd be cool."

With those final words Ruby was asleep and Yang kissed her forehead before motioning for the medics to take her to the bullhead.

A moment later Blake and Weiss took Yang by the shoulders with the faunus carrying Ruby's scythe in her hand. Yang ran a finger across the long claw marks that had chipped the blade and left black stains on the paint. She glanced at Blake who was following her hand and nervously they turned toward the destruction caused by Ruby and shuddered.

"Come on," Weiss groaned taking a step forward. "I'm tired, my feet hurt, I'm hungry, I have a migraine, my nails are in serious need of a manicure, and I'm ready for a hot shower."

Blake's eyes twinkled as she pressed a button causing Crescent Rose's blade to sheath and Weiss to jump in fear. With a laugh Blake hooked it to Yang's belt and shook her head.

"Sorry Weiss but you just told Ruby that you didn't care about the bet, therefore you forfeit."

"WHAT!"

Yang squeezed both her friends nearly breaking them in two but that only caused them to grin and laugh more.

"Come on, let's go home."

_The only home we've even known..._

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the story as a whole. The Petals Scatter Now has been a joy to write and the Lord has blessed me with all of you. I'm sorry this chapter was delayed but between Thanksgiving, Christmas, and spotty internet there were a few complications, so thank you for being so incredibly patient with me. I'm sorry that this chapter was so long but cutting it in half would have really hurt it in my opinion and there was just so much I wanted to cover. **

**I hope your patience was worth the wait and I hope this was worthy of a finale. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter trying to make it a satisfying conclusion to a year long journey. A lot of love went into writing this story and I hope that is seen here. I love RWBY and wanted to capture the spirit of the show so I hope that all comes through while reading.**

**Thank you for all of the amazing reviews, PMs, and kindness you have shown me, I deeply appreciate it. There will indeed be a Chapter 40 to wrap up things up but that will come during Volume 3's hiatus once I have a clearer direction for Cinder, Raven, and a few other characters. I'm unsure if I'll do a Volume 3 story in the future as this one is the length of a novel and a sequel would be even longer. As you can see though I have a lot more stories I'd like to tell with my favorite characters and it would be a pleasure to continue The Petals Scatter Now's narrative.**

**Thank you for supporting The Petals Scatter Now as writing is a great passion of mine and I wish to continue writing RWBY novels in the future.**

**All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ as without Him none of this would have been possible. God bless)**


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Time to Say Goodbye

* * *

**(A/N: While Chapter 39 is what I consider to be the true finale this will serve as an epilogue getting our heroes and villains where I need them to be. If you have enjoyed reading "The Petals Scatter Now" and wish to continue its narrative and see where team RWBY goes from here then please check out its sequel "The Patchwork Prodigy" which takes place between Volumes 2 &amp; 3, and follows Ruby and her team as they prepare both physically and mentally for the Vytal Festival Tournament, as well as the insanity that always seem to follow them. Thank you and I hope you enjoy. God bless) **

* * *

The tires of a white convertible squealed as they made a sharp turn around a corner before speeding past ruined buildings that had once proudly stood in the commercial district of the City of Vale. At the helm was a young woman wearing an expensive pair of aviator sunglasses missing it's left lens while a brown beret covered her dark chocolate hair.

She leaned forward and jerked the steering wheel as a shadowy creature darted towards an alley.

"Coco?" Whimpered a girl with rabbit ears as they were now traveling on the sidewalk.

The driver put all her weight down on the accelerator causing her and the other passengers in the backseat to have their necks whipped back.

A Beowolf cocked its head to the side as if hypnotized by the sports car and the glowing brown eye of the driver.

_*splat*_

Black tar spattered across the windshield impairing the driver's vision but with a flick of her wrist the wipers turned on and by driving over twice the legal speed limit the Grimm's _blood _was cleared in seconds.

"We leave town for three weeks and this is the welcome we get!?" The disgusted driver shook her head before taking a long sip from her half empty coffee cup barely missing a light pole in the process.

Behind her seat a throat cleared.

"Perhaps I should drive." Suggested a calm voice.

Coco glanced in the rear view mirror at a young man with tanned skin and copper colored hair watching her with with blank white eyes. She noted that they were an inch too high however and were actually staring at the sun.

"Sorry Fox," She clicked her tongue. "but we're gonna let those who can actually see do the driving today."

He furrowed his brow but remained calm and his voice patient.

"You know I can see just fine with my aura Coco." He reminded his partner for the millionth time in their three years together.

"Alright." She pursed her lips as they passed a green sign. "What street are we on?"

"Twenty-seventh." He answered without hesitation.

Fox had the entire City of Vale mapped out in his head and could still smell the morning bread from the morning despite the air being filled with smoke and ash.

"Wrong." Coco sang. "Velvet, tell him what _street _we're on."

The faunus girl in the passenger seat set down her antique camera as she turned her head but the large antenna like ears never changed position.

"Um, we're technically on a sidewalk not a street." She grinned reassuringly but the gesture was obviously lost on him.

Coco turned around looking up from her glasses despite losing a lens in the battle and wore a confident smirk on her face, which would have also been lost if she hadn't flared her aura just as she had while running over the Beowolf.

"No backseat drivers allowed, especially blind ones."

Casually Fox pointed up ahead and muttered something under his breath.

"What!?" She snapped.

"I said, _'fire hydrant'_." He repeated blaming his partner's poor hearing on her mini-gun handbag.

Turning back around she cursed and swerved at the last second narrowly avoiding a large red object sticking out of the ground.

Once her heart stopped pounding against her chest and her breathing returned to normal Coco spun her head around and stuck her tongue out. Only when her eyes were back on the road did Fox return the gesture and smiled as his head snapped backward due to her stomping on the accelerator.

Beside him a giant groaned and hung his head out of the car. It seemed the driver was coming closer to killing him than all the Grimm in the district combined as he was the only one to leave the battle unscathed. In front of him Velvet had to tilt her head to see the giant's face as he was partially sitting on the trunk of the car while his feet rested on the floorboards and his knees pressed against his heavily armored chest.

"You alright Yatsuhashi?" She asked worriedly. Her faunus sight and hearing were directing Coco through the war torn city and she couldn't help but feel partially responsible for his motion sickness.

"I'll be fine." Although a giant his voice was soft but also thick with an Atlesian accent despite having been raised in Mistral.

His large body shuddered as a bug splattered against his aura shield causing his face to turn green.

"I'm okay." He choked covering his mouth with a tattooed arm. "I'm just worried about my father is all."

Velvet reached out and grabbed a hand that made her's looking like an infants in comparison.

"I wouldn't worry about him." Coco remarked dryly. "If he's half as big as you are that'd make him about the size of an Ursa."

Yatsuhashi's normally stoic features returned as he recalled the mask that had given him nightmares as a child.

"He has more in common with an Ursa Major actually."

The team leader let out a breath and shook her head as the vision wouldn't fit in her imagination.

Even Fox being a tall young man found himself staring up at the giant with a curious expression.

"I thought you said he wasn't arriving until the Vytal Festival? Wasn't he was going to take the SDC's train?"

Yatsuhashi clenched his fist but nodded.

"Plans changed so he arrived ahead of schedule."

Velvet clasped her hands together and sighed dramatically. "I just love the ride through Forever Fall. It's so romantic."

"I personally just like the train." Coco purred. "Schnees know how to build machines and their heiresses sure do like to shop."

She petted the steering wheel and held up her coffee cup as a toast. The giant glared at the SDC symbol on the side of her drink then at the hood ornament in the shape of a snowflake.

His dark thoughts were drowned out however as the driver flipped on the radio and to his surprise Velvet turned it up so he could no longer hear himself think.

Yatsuhashi felt his stomach twist and turn inside out as the convertible sailed over a hill with its wheels leaving the pavement. His only thoughts became those that were playing on the radio and what half of the city was hearing.

_Caffeine! Caffeine!_

* * *

The rain clouds above the City of Vale disappearing should have cleared the way for blue skies except they were being engulfed by a thick haze that seemed to strangle the entire city causing its inhabitants to choke and their eyes to burn. Even across the great falls and atop the guest dorm of Beacon Academy the scent of fire was being carried by the wind, but for three spectators it was the smell of conquest and they each took deep savoring breaths.

A woman with raven colored hair wearing the attire of Haven Academy's staff watched as the city burned with flames kindling in her eyes while two students in uniforms stood on either side. On her right was a young man with metal boots carrying the look of indifference with his hands behind his head, while on her left a dark complected young woman with green hair kept glancing over her shoulder nervously.

Through the smoke she could see dozens of bullheads flying through the air carrying soldiers and huntsmen alike with the emblems of Atlas, Vale, and the SDC on their wings. Her red eyes began glowing but faded as they passed by.

"Cinder," She urged. "I think we-"

"Hush Emerald." The raven haired woman brought a finger to her lips immediately silencing the subordinate.

For this woman the City of Vale had never looked so beautiful and she could hardly blink. To the southwest a brilliant flame was raging in the agricultural district as what was once known as '_The Breadbasket of Remnant' _was burning orange.

Somewhere in the city a Beowolf howled and she sensed the body to her right relax as the beast discovered more prey.

"I wish I were a Grimm." The boy said as if in a daze.

Cinder turned and caressed the side of his cheek.

"Oh Mercury." She cooed. "Soon your queen will have need of her butcher and no one in all the kingdoms will be safe."

He smiled but the voice of his partner interrupted the pleasant daydream.

"Ma'am." Emerald swallowed. "Should I go ahead with the plan?"

Cinder shook her head.

"Not yet." She said patiently. "The huntsmen must have found Roman for him to have moved so far ahead of schedule, but that shouldn't affect our plans or my contact in Atlas."

A grin began to creep on her face as she gazed upon the large white airship floating below the waterfalls of Beacon.

"Actually this might work out even be better."

Mercury turned to his partner as a thought came to him.

"Why don't you go into town and see if your doughy _friends _still have their wallets. It'd be a shame for all that lien to end up in the bellies of Grimm."

Emerald narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms but this only seemed to please him more.

"How moral and virtuous of you to steal from the living but not the dead. When they're handing out medals after the battle I'll be sure to give you mine."

She opened her mouth for a retort but Cinder held up her hand.

"Let's just enjoy the show shall we? The next time the city burns only embers will remain."

Again Emerald looked around nervously.

"We need to leave ma'am. After pretending to play huntress with Mercury, I don't know if I can fool anyone else."

Mercury glanced toward where his partner was staring and frowned seeing countless windows that could be spying on them.

"I hate to agree with her but we should go. This place was getting dull anyway."

"What's wrong Mercury?" Cinder teased. "Did you lose your picture book already?"

He shook his head letting silver locks fall in his eyes. "I gave it to charity and donated it to a lost cause with glass slippers. You could say I'm giving her a sneak peek."

Cinder smiled and grabbed them by the hands prepared to lead them away.

"Then come. Today is the day of Grimm not of the fallen queen, nor her thief and butcher."

"It definitely isn't the day of the faunus." Mercury remarked. "The White Fang aren't gonna be too happy about a hundred or so new recruits and half a dozen officers getting blown up."

They turned as light footsteps greeted them.

"I wouldn't be so sure..."

A dark figure stepped out of the shadows wearing a Grimm mask over his face. Crimson hair styled as a rose covered what looked to be two bull horns, and at his side was a black katana in its sheath with gloved fingers scratching exposed steel.

Emerald and Mercury readied their weapons but Cinder laid a hand on their chests and took a cautious step forward.

"Adam." She said evenly. "What brings you to Vale?"

The masked man ignored her and glanced toward the city following the pillars of smoke to Mt. Glenn.

"Today many martyrs were made fighting for a noble cause and tomorrow faunus will be joining the White Fang in droves."

Mercury snorted. "And what makes you think that?"

Adam turned and almost grinned.

"Because a Schnee was aboard that train."

A flame flickered in Cinder's eyes as her face darkened.

"And they'll blame her?" Emerald asked uncertainly.

"The youngest Schnee daughter is now the most wanted criminal on Remnant and will be the rallying cry for the third and final crusade."

He took his finger and drew a long scar across the left eye of his mask. "And she'll never find mercy from a foolish faunus girl ever again."

"Make her pay." Cinder instructed her voice rising. "Show the Schnees what happens when you trade your kingdom's crown for an old dust mine. Show them what happens to traitors."

Adam turned his sharp eyes back to the city and smiled seeing a black cat running hopelessly from the flames.

"They all burn..."

* * *

From atop the Emerald Tower the crestfallen city appeared shrouded as if it were wearing a veil in mourning. Sitting behind a clockwork desk overlooking it all the headmaster of Beacon Academy listened to the symphony of gears turning while his cane rested beside a large desktop scroll in full view of a video conference.

"Prime Minister." He greeted respectfully to a tall elderly gentleman who nodded back.

His eyes narrowed as he glanced down to a short middle-aged man with red puffed up cheeks.

"Mr. President."

When the kingdom's ceremonial figurehead curled his lip the headmaster turned toward another video of a large man standing at attention on his airship in front of the emblem of Atlas.

His eyes shifted as the taller of the two men spoke up.

"Ozpin," He sighed. "we know you cannot be held completely responsible for this act of terror."

The Prime Minister pausing caused the ruddy man to interupt.

"However, we cannot overlook the fact that in less than two weeks the CCT has been attacked and City of Vale has been breached _twice_!" He paused for a breath. "And as headmaster of Beacon and grand marshal of the huntsmen operating in the kingdom of Vale it is your sworn duty to defend its citizens and boundaries!"

"And I have." He replied calmly taking note of how steam was rising from his bald head.

"Then what would you call this Ozpin!" The little man cried. "And where are your so-called _huntsmen_?"

The headmaster's face grew dark as he leaned forward.

"That Mr. President was an orchestrated attack conducted by the enemies of Remnant. As we speak my children are in the streets protecting you and this city from unspeakable nightmares, and if you'd like a word with them afterward then I can arrange a meeting at the hospital."

Before another outburst could interrupt him again the taller man raised his hand and brushed what little hair he had left to the side.

"Regardless of the circumstances Ozpin the council had to act." His droopy eyes glanced toward the screen with the man in white. "We've contacted Atlas and they've agreed to send another fleet of airships and double the soldiers Winter Schnee is to bring in time for the Vytal Festival."

Ozpin took a sip from his coffee.

"Is that all?" He raised a brow.

"No..." Said the man in white.

The prime minister lowered his gaze. "General Ironwood from this moment forward will be the acting chief of security until the conclusion of the festival."

"After which," Snarled the short man. "the council will be discussing your position as headmaster of Beacon Academy."

His eyes narrowed at the cane resting against the monitor.

"The huntsmen of old are relics of the past Ozpin and nothing more than fairy tales men like you won't let go of." He shifted his gaze to the general. "It's long past time that we took the same measures to secure our kingdom as Atlas."

The headmaster set the drink down and in doing so knocked over his cane causing its silver blade to fall beside the short man's throat.

With steady hand Ozpin sheathed the blade in front of the short man's wide eyes.

"Prime Minister, Mr. President." He nodded. "I'm afraid I must be going. I have an academy to run and huntsmen to coordinate. Will that be all?"

Just as the little man opened his mouth the headmaster ended the call leaving him and the general staring back at one another neither man blinking.

"It's the right decision old friend." Ironwood promised. "Atlas will protect the people of Vale. You can trust me."

The video feed cut out leaving the headmaster staring at his reflection in the screen. He leaned back in his chair to watch the gears spinning on the ceiling and listen to their music.

"It seems you'll be sitting in this seat a few years early Glynda." He said almost lightheartedly.

Professor Goodwitch stepped out of the shadows holding a scroll in her hand and a scowl on her face.

"Now is not the time for nonsense." She chided. "You and I know full well that the council cannot legally unseat you."

"Hasn't stopped them from trying." He mumbled taking another sip before pushing it aside and bringing his hands together.

"What's the condition of the city walls?"

"Holding and stable." She said glancing at a city map with dozens of red marks around the border. "The military and every available huntsman is stationed around its perimeter but it'll be weeks until the Grimm fall back, and even longer to forget about this."

"What about the Alphas?"

Glynda swallowed. "The Goliaths destroyed a small outpost but there were no casualties, and I haven't heard a word about the Griffons yet."

Ozpin's shoulders relaxed but the rest of his body was still on edge like her's.

"As we speak the Goliaths are circling the city and more are on their way. We're lucky they didn't charge straight for the southern walls when they had the chance."

"Fortunate, not lucky." He corrected. "They've been waiting over half a century for an opportunity like the lost city again but decided to be patient. What does that tell you?"

She cast her eyes out the window. "That they can sense something bigger on its way..."

The headmaster nodded and continued on.

"Civilian casualties?"

"Expected to be in the low hundreds." She admitted.

Ozpin shook his head. "Once again we should count ourselves fortunate, but I never thought she'd be capable of this..."

With the headmaster deep in thought she glanced at her scroll.

"Haven and Shade are flying half of their students back to Mistral and Vacuo as a precaution that their kingdoms are next."

"They need all the protection they can get but this is just a timely excuse." He noted. "I've already spoken with their headmasters and they'd been planning on returning home since the CCT was attacked."

His eyes glanced toward the hospital.

"What of the children and staff?"

"Over two dozen students are laying in the infirmary." Her voice cracked. "But they're expected to recover."

He closed his eyes and let out a breath he'd been holding for seemingly hours and she had to clear her throat before continuing.

"Professor Oobleck is finally awake and is currently being scolded by Dr. Heilen for drinking yellow dust again."

Ozpin chuckled darkly. "What of our masked friend Bartholomew was found laying in the crater with?"

"Unconscious, and will be for some time. Oobleck says miss Rose was the one who saved his life and that he simply wanted a shield against the Deathstalker and a soft landing."

Ozpin's eyes twinkled but something in Glynda's made them harden.

"What is it?"

Goodwitch took a deep breath. "Bart tells me he found evidence of an ancient Grimm in the lost city. I can't believe I'm actually saying this but he believes it was a Mimic."

The headmaster's hand gravitated toward his cane but he caught himself.

"And he's sure?"

She nodded. "He says miss Rose fought it and lives to tell the tale."

Ozpin turned his chair around to face his reflection and the shrouded city down below.

"Mimics don't just let you escape Glynda. Once a Grimm has your scent it's for life, and we both know what happened to the last huntress who thought she escaped a Mimic."

He felt the blood drain from his face as the stories from when he was a child began to surface.

"Have you been able to contact Qrow?"

She shook her head. "I've also tried the girls' father but Taiyang already left on a mission."

With the help of his cane the headmaster got to his feet and stared into the dark haze looking out toward the Isle of Patch where a faint light could be seen through the smoke as Signal Academy's tower shined as a sign of solidarity with the mainland. Using the light as a guide his sad eyes rested to the north.

"Tell me Glynda." He removed his glasses. "Tell me, how is Summer's daughter doing?"

The professor closed her scroll and stood by his side finding the lost village in the mountains by memory.

"Miss Rose led her team and JNPR from the initial breach all the way through the residential district," Goodwitch paused. "after she had just spent two days in the lost city and discovered the White Fang."

"I know that Glynda." He grabbed her shoulder.

She glanced back at the broken hinges caused by the caped-girl when she'd slammed the automatic doors just days prior.

"Bart tells me your suspicions were right." She whispered.

His hand fell from her shoulder and he lowered his face which looked as mournful as the city.

"I was afraid of that..."

* * *

Below Beacon Academy not far from the waterfalls floated a grand Atlesian airship large enough to transport and house hundreds of soldiers, half of whom were also students. The massive wings bore the kingdom's insignia as well as the Schnee Dust Company's which had it greatly outnumbered.

Standing behind floor to ceiling windows a large man wearing a white coat gazed upon the radiance of the Emerald Tower causing his hardened eyes to glow green.

"I'm sorry." The general closed his eyes and turned his back toward the school. "But you brought this on yourself old friend."

His eyes returned to their natural cold blue that was ever so common in Atlas, but there was also compassion found in them that didn't match his heavy footsteps as he marched into an elevator and selected his destination.

"You wanted to be patient and let the war come to you. Now it's here and I hope your children are ready."

Looking into the reflective walls he frowned at the wrinkles and darkness around his eyes that he didn't remember seeing before arriving in Vale.

A twinge in his right hand caused him to tighten the white glove and massage his wrist. It still hadn't gotten used to the southern kingdom's climate that seemed to change on a daily basis, if not hourly. And many of his soldiers proclaimed the fair weather as a heatwave since they were much more familiar with knee high snow by the middle of fall.

Because of this the air conditioning was constantly running to make its occupants more comfortable and it wasn't uncommon for visitors to wear coats aboard as the coldest autumn day in Vale was still warmer than that of Atlas'.

Just as the general was satisfied that his hand would no longer act up the elevator signaled his arrival causing him to stand up straight with his hands behind his back. The doors parted and his heavy boots echoed throughout the dimly lit halls, along with something that caused him to pause.

_*hic*_

Hearing the sound of humming the general turned his head around the corner and watched a girl with orange hair carrying a backpack skip down an adjacent hallway without paying any notice to him. Although her footsteps were curiously loud she seemed to hang in the air with every step.

He raised a brow as two soldiers chased after her wearing red and blue armor but were failing to catch up. Seeing the large man they gave courteous nods but soon recognized the polished boots and pristine white jacket with four stars on its collar.

"General Ironwood, sir!" They stood at attention and saluted.

The tall man noted they were both breathing heavily and could sense the eyes under their visors following the oblivious young girl as she roamed the halls aimlessly.

"At ease men."

They lowered their sweaty hands which were shaking slightly.

"As you were."

The general turned to leave but before he could take a single step the partners took off running toward the girl who had a substantial lead by now.

"Miss Penny!" They cried. "Please, wait for us!"

Out of the corner of his eye Ironwood thought he saw what looked to be a rose petal floating through the air before dissipating causing him to glance out a small round window and find the Emerald Tower again.

"You have your guardian Ozpin, and now I have mine."

The general continued his journey never slowing or averting his gaze from a large metal door with a pair of soldiers on either side. As he approached the men lowered their custom rifles and saluted.

"At ease gentlemen." He instructed taking a look at the kingdom's emblem beside the mark of the huntsmen on their chests denoting them as serving in Atlas' Special Operatives Unit, the finest the military had to offer.

"The prisoner and I will be having words now."

His soldiers nodded and the one the left swiped a card in a terminal while the other punched numbers into a key pad. Once their panels lit up green the general pressed his gloved hand against the door and it clicked open.

He stepped forward letting the door close behind him and took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness and his nose to the odor. Chains rattled on the other side of the room and the general began taking note of the small confined prison cell furnished with only a small cot and wash area.

Finally he glanced at the source of rattling and narrowed his eyes at a man sitting on the cot wearing filthy rags that reeked of smoke and burnt flesh. A pink arm was curled against his chest while a bare foot rested in an awkward angle on the tile floor. Orange hair fell to the side of the prisoner's face but even in the dim lighting Ironwood could see a large burn across his cheek in the shape of a fist.

"Roman Torchwick," He said in a somber voice that hid his true anger. "I don't believe you and I have been antiquated yet."

The prisoner's lip curled as he glanced up. Ironwood noticed he was shivering slightly due to the cold but found himself pleased nonetheless.

"We both know what the punishment for treason is in all the kingdoms. If you comply with my investigation I can guarantee you the harshest punishment you'll face is life in prison. And if you make my job easy I'll even guarantee you'll be sent somewhere nicer than Atlas, but if not I'm willing to sign the papers for your execution today."

Torchwick's labored breathing picked up and he raised his hands but since he had a visitor the chains restricted his movement.

"I want my lawyer." He growled.

Ironwood shook his head. "You won't be needing one."

"Actually," He shook the heavy chains that also drained his aura. "I'm pretty sure I do. Also no one read me my rights."

The general cleared his throat.

"Alright. You do _not _have the right to remain silent. You do _not _have the right to an attorney. Within two weeks you will receive a military trial courtesy of the kingdoms of Atlas and Vale where you will be found guilty of terrorism, treason, genocide, homicide, kidnapping, armed robbery, theft, arson-"

"Okay, okay." The prisoner grumbled. "I get the picture, and as much as I'd like to hear about my glorious so called '_crimes against humanity', _I don't exactly have all day."

"Actually you do."

Torchwick smiled but it quickly faded seeing the general's.

"Until the time of your execution that is."

The prisoner took a venomous glance around his cell and how the walls seemed to close in on him.

"Now," Ironwood said calmly. "why don't you tell me who you take your orders from and perhaps we can make a deal."

"You're looking at him." Torchwick chin raised arrogantly and his head bobbed side to side.

"I find that," He paused looking at the tattered rags that used to be his jacket. "rather unlikely."

Torchwick leaned forward as far as his chains would allow and stared straight into the tall man's eyes.

"Trust me." He whispered. "No matter what you see or what you hear, I'm the one who's really running the show and who everyone should be running scared of."

Ironwood blinked clearly not impressed.

"Then I have the most wanted criminal on Remnant in chains with blood dripping from his nose and a jaw my doctors had to put back together just so we could understand him. Injuries he received from a female freshman student I've been told."

The chains rattled as Torchwick laughed causing him to cough violently and for drops of scarlet to fall from his mouth.

"Then I bet you're real curious to know how I survived the train ride through the entire city."

Ironwood pressed his hand against the door and a second later it opened.

"Not particularly, but I shall investigate it along with exactly how many faunus died."

"All of them." He said happily. "See? I did you a favor by cleaning up what Atlas should have finished decades ago."

The general stared at the prisoner coldly. "You and I will be having many more talks like this Roman, but I promise you they won't be half as pleasant as this one."

Before the doors closed he turned his head one last time with a slight grin on his face.

"You look feverish Roman. I'll be sure to turn the air down for you."

The doors closed and once again Torchwick was left in almost complete darkness and he rubbed his hands together feeling the room's temperature plummet.

"That's good," He muttered. "because I like to talk."

He glanced at the reflective tile floor beneath him and smiled with crooked teeth.

"Isn't that right Neo?"

His reflection winked back at him with a brown eye that turned pink when it reopened. Something shined in the reflection's hand and slowly he slowly opened his hand which was empty.

In the reflection's however was a lock of gold hair being held by bloody fingers.

"Looks like you've made a friend." He grinned.

For a split second the image shifted to a young woman with pink and brown hair before changing back to the prisoner in chains.

Torchwick followed the motions of the reflection bringing his other hand to his throat. A knife shined on the tile floor and together they mimicked a throat being slit.

"It's good to see you making friends Neo." He shook his chains. "Especially since it looks like I'm going to be stuck here for a while."

The reflection's mismatched eyes grew worried and they both patted their backs reassuringly which seemed to calm his reflection.

"For now just play along with the witch and her street rat and amputee, they'll get what's coming to them in the end."

He and the reflection caressed his throbbing red cheek gently. Mismatched eyes caught the lock of hair and again the reflection flickered.

"Which reminds me, could you pick me out a dark suit?"

...

He motioned the tipping his hat with a devilish grin. "You and I have quite a number of funerals to attend."

* * *

Rays of sunlight streamed through half open mini-blinds into a cramped hospital room originally made for two beds that now had four positioned in such a way their occupants had to climb and crawl just to get in and out.

Doctors had tried separating their patients but it hadn't gone over well with the team, especially with the hot tempered blonde. After her threats had turned out to be idle due to torn biceps and half a dozen other torn muscles, a few broken bones, wounds stitched shut, aura exhaustion, hints of dehydration, and an assortment of other injuries she instead found a group of interns her age who after asking them in her hospital gown they'd been all too willing to carry the extra beds to the aromatic room.

Just passing by one could smell the various soaps, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, gels, and other cleansers the girls had used during their well deserved baths and showers. The blonde at first had insisted upon a sponge bath courtesy of the male interns but had quickly changed her mind when her partner pointed out that her golden mane looked as though it had birds nesting in it and saw what she'd thought to be a split end. Fortunately for the heiress she had nearly finished in the bathroom as she'd been unceremoniously kicked out still dripping wet.

She hadn't complained however as it had given her a logical reason to go back to the dorm room for a hair dryer and returned hours later with pruned skin and damp hair.

In total the girls had spent nearly half a day bathing and now their scent caused a certain faunus to sneeze constantly, but she much preferred it as opposed to the three day stench of herself and teammates that had made her long for Professor Oobleck's odd choice in Grimm repellent.

With her back facing the open window she sat beside her teammates as their eyes drooped meaning another twelve hour nap wasn't far away.

Despite there being four beds in the room only two had their covers pulled and the only one currently occupied had an extra pillow from where the blonde had spent her night and much of the afternoon.

Normally her little sister kicked and thrashed in her sleep but the caped-girl's injuries had given her the prime opportunity to share a bed like they'd done as kids.

"Yang?" Asked a hushed voice. "You alright?"

She blinked at the first words spoken in seemingly hours and turned to the girl beside her.

"I'm fine Blake." She rubbed her eyes and yawned. "Just tired."

The faunus looked up and down her partner seeing all the injuries now hidden by bandages. Pink blotches of skin weren't the result of scrubbing in the bath, they'd come from flames rising to the surface as her semblance overheated. Any lesser human would have died that her partner was sure of, but Yang almost seemed to take pleasure in bending her broken body to her will just to prove she could.

"Then get some rest." She urged. "It's the best thing for us right now."

Indeed, Blake had enjoyed the best sleep in her life despite waking up barely able to move, and from the blonde's lack of snoring it seemed she'd slept even harder.

"I don't want to wake her up." Yang whispered.

The blankets fell before rising again rhythmically while tufts of black hair with red tips lay on the pillow.

"I don't think you could if you tried." Weiss remarked from the corner a couple a few feet from her teammates.

The heiress wearing an elegant blue nightgown over her equally as expensive pajamas leaned back in her chair grimacing as her backside found a more comfortable position. Although her left arm was heavily bandaged and in a sling she'd painted her fingernails along with her blistered and swollen toes. The girl's scroll was in her good hand but being turned to the side Blake couldn't see what her teammate had been glaring at since she'd woken up.

Yang didn't respond as she studied her sister's breathing with a content smile but also with a tense body that looked ready to pounce if she were to suddenly need water. Yesterday a violent coughing fit had caused tears to well up in her eyes along with her teammates' before mercifully the caped-girl had fallen unconscious again.

The doctors were too afraid to give her medication like her friends since her undeveloped aura would naturally fight it and only slow her healing factor, and Blake couldn't help but feeling ashamed swallowing pills in front of Ruby in the few fleeting seconds she'd been awake.

Yang could take some unlike her sister but not much, and Blake couldn't help but wonder if it was one of the drawbacks with having physical semblances. All four girls had pushed themselves far beyond their limits and were paying heavy prices, but while the sisters were feeling the results of their bodies torn apart because they'd been too weak for super strength and speed, Weiss was practically chewing aspirin and sharing with Blake who wasn't used to aura exhaustion.

The faunus gave a wide yawn causing her bow to perk up as her ears had been folded back. While Beacon's medical bay routinely had students due to training accidents, the hospital was now filled due to overcrowding in the city and some were even being airlifted to Signal for treatment.

With so much activity Blake had effectively turned off her faunus hearing which was becoming like flipping a switch between her two senses.

Their floor being used for observation meant it was crowded but also that its most injured patient was likely Ruby, however the young huntress in training had a lot going for her that many of the civilians didn't.

Despite being only fifteen Ruby was physically at peak performance and deceptively muscular to be able to swing Crescent Rose with ease even without aura. She had years of experience pulling muscles and fighting through pain due to her training and even though she hadn't mastered aura flow she still had a hundred times more control than the average citizen. And like her teammates she would bite her tongue and lie about the injuries looking worse than they felt, when she was awake that is.

Team JNPR had briefly been seen as they were being patched up but because their injuries were minor in comparison they'd been allowed back into their room to recover. Despite the cramped hospital room they'd stopped by to say hello as Jaune wished to give his 'thanks' to his fellow leader who'd been sleeping.

Many of their other friends and classmates had so far all returned with their lives, and despite it normally being against the rules an exception had been made for the parents to visit and stay with their children.

For Blake however there was one parent conspicuously missing, especially from his daughters' description of him.

"Shouldn't your dad be here?" She asked her partner.

When Ruby had last visited the hospital their father had written a poem expressing his love for her and grief that he couldn't come visit. Her sister and teammates had teased her mercilessly for it and from their tales it seemed his reaction had been tame compared to Yang's first day of school at Signal, which made Blake uncomfortable just thinking about it.

The blonde grimaced as she reached for her scroll laying on the table and Blake was immensely grateful they'd convinced her to put on pajamas like the rest of them as she'd seemingly been content wearing the too-small hospital gown that had mysteriously _lost_ its tie.

With the device in her hand she growled despite being out of breath and turned the volume down.

_"Hello,"_ Boomed a warm voice. _"you've reached the stunningly handsome Dr. Taiyang Xiao Long. If this is about huntsmen business or regarding Signal Academy you can reach me at my office. If this is about me being a single charismatic blond looking for a good time-"_

Somehow it was actually possible to hear Yang's fist travel through the holographic screen before it was slammed back onto the table.

Blake glanced back and forth between her partner and from where the voice with a very familiar accent had come from.

_This actually explains a lot..._

"I called his office five times and he wasn't there," She said trying to restrain herself. "so I called the front desk and after dealing with a crying secretary asking if Ruby and I were alright and reassuring her we were I find out he-"

Yang brushed her hair making it look like she was pulling it out.

"I find out he chose the day before yesterday of all days to go on his first solo mission in nearly two decades and no one has any idea where he went or even when the jerk will be back."

Just when Blake thought red eyes might replace lilac Ruby groaned in her sleep causing Yang's expression to soften.

"Maybe it's for the best." She said suddenly blinking back tears. "I don't know how he'd react to seeing Rubes like this, or both of his girls in the hospital for that matter."

Her partner not knowing what to do grabbed her hand.

"I was supposed to protect her." Yang choked. "That was Dad's one condition for her enrolling early."

She turned to her partner with misty eyes.

"Blake if anything happens to Ruby I'll lose my dad again, and this time I know it'll be for good." She nearly sobbed. "I can remember what he was like when my mom died and he still isn't the same after we lost Summer. That'll just leave me and my uncle who I don't see sober enough as it is..."

"And us." Blake reassured. "You'll never be alone Yang."

"That's right." Weiss promised. "You're stuck with us whether you like it or not."

Yang nodded but her sister in the hospital bed was forcing her to relive the worst years of her childhood when no one smiled until a little girl with red tipped hair was born.

_You look just like Summer, Rubes. And I can't lose you both again..._

"You'll hear from your dad soon Yang." Blake squeezed her shoulder. "By then you'll be fully healed and Ruby will be back in the dorm, then you can tell him nothing happened."

She nodded and quickly wiped her cheeks with her eyes still on her sister. "He and I are gonna have a long talk when he gets back."

_And so are Ruby and I..._

The faunus smiled hearing the fire rekindle in her partner's voice. While she and Weiss had grown up quickly to take care of themselves, Yang had grown twice as fast to care for her family who always came first. Before their own showers Yang had made sure that her baby sister had seen the doctors and had been cleaned up and cared for before anything else.

Feeling a slight chill Blake glanced at the partially obscured face of Weiss who was listening intently but her eyes had fallen to her scroll.

"You alright Weiss?"

The heiress scolded herself for losing control of her precious aura and flicked the screen.

_'Message Deleted'_ the faunus read before the device was unceremoniously tossed beside Yang's.

"I am now." She declared scowling at the SDC symbol all over the hospital room.

_I've been avoiding Father all my life so what's another few weeks?_

Weiss knew she needed to speak with Winter before their father, but she wasn't due in Vale until the start of the Vytal Festival and what she had to say needed to be said directly. If protecting the heiresses was no longer the prime directive of the Schnee Dust Company then what else could they be changing...

She no longer even trusted the IV bags hooked up to her partner that had snowflakes on the side.

Blake watched her with concerned eyes wishing she was better with words and that she could use her aura to embrace those she cared about. Unlike her teammates who had families no matter how cold or dysfunctional, Blake had no one. Everyone important to her were in that hospital room.

She had called the White Fang family since she could remember and had given up hope of ever finding another when she ran away. It had only been in the passing weeks what the she realized what had been lost couldn't even compare to what she'd gained.

While these thoughts went through Blake's mind her sharp eyes caught movement around Ruby's legs. She flinched as soulless eyes stared back at her while pinning its prey to the bed. Drool was dripping from its ivory fangs and in its mouth was a squeaky toy.

_*squee*_

"Ssshhhh." Yang held a finger to her lips. "Ruby's sleeping Zwei."

The small corgi winked and went back to chewing on its ball.

"Isn't he just the cutest!" Weiss gushed unable to contain herself as Blake slowly lifted her feet off the floor bringing her knees to her chest.

After Ruby had been taken care of, Yang, Weiss, and herself had limped back to the dorm and Zwei, or the _hell hound_ as Blake had begun calling him, had assaulted the other two possibly causing more harm than the King Taijitu and Deathstalker combined.

Thinking fast Blake had quickly dived into the bathroom and barricaded the door before taking the longest shower in her life using up all of the hot water in the process as her teammates wrestled with Zwei while getting cloths and other supplies to survive their long hospital stay.

Afterward they'd smuggled the dog in a backpack hoping to cheer Ruby up like last time but she'd only been awake for a few minutes at dinner where she hadn't eaten. Now the beast stood guard at her feet showing the faunus his ferocity.

_*squee*_

"I wonder where he got them all." Weiss said referencing the pile of squeaky toys and balls he'd collected while they were gone. "Do you think he found them while going winky-tinky-woo-woo outside?"

Blake stared in fascination of the well mannered heiress trying to sound out what had just been said.

"Maybe he's part retriever." The pale girl mused.

_Klepto more like it. _

"And I wonder who's balls they were."

Yang snorted. "Definitely not Cardin's!" She held up her thumbs. "Am I right!?"

The blonde's yell had been so loud that the pair couldn't believe Ruby hadn't even stirred in her sleep, but finally when they began feeling their insides churning and their faces turning red they had to hold their sides as the laughter caused their chests to ache and tears to roll down their cheeks in agony which only made them laugh harder.

Finally when the last fit of giggles ended as they had no more air to breath and their muscles could take no more it felt as though a dark cloud was lifted from the room and everything suddenly became a little brighter.

Blake's shadow stretched across the room as sunshine radiated off of Yang causing warmth to fill the room and seconds later Weiss cooled it off like a gentle breeze.

Yang sighed as her stretching caused bones to pop and creak.

"This feels worse than my first hangover." She proclaimed proudly.

"The first of many." Blake noted humorously.

"When was this?" Weiss asked trying to keep her high pitched giggles to herself. "When you were thirteen?"

The blonde shrugged unashamed. "Something like that."

Her eyes fell on Ruby happy to see her still asleep but also wishing she'd join them. Her baby sister's laugh was like music to her ears after having gone so long without hearing it as a child. Now it was something she cherished close to her heart.

Grimacing Yang put her arm around Blake before reaching out to drag Weiss' chair beside them and putting an arm around her as well.

"We were awesome." She said bringing them in close.

They could only smile as their bodies were being crushed. Their auras began to overlap letting them feel each others' joy until it became their own.

Together they were a family no matter how dysfunctional and had a home better than money could buy. They had stopped the White Fang's plot to destroy their city causing redemption and justice to burn in their souls as well as peace and rest.

All those loved ones they'd lost and watched with blurry eyes as they were lowered into the frozen ground were all remembered but having their baby sister meant they would always find the strength to keep going.

Thinking of their leader caused huntress pride to swell as they knew that lives being saved was what the true huntress of the team was most proud of.

There was still darkness in their auras but that only caused them to flare their semblances more.

For Yang there were only going to be more dangers to protect Ruby from but her friends were there to look after their kid sister. Weiss' burden was no longer her own, and her grandfather's company and the Schnee legacy was something they would all carry.

Blake's darkness was deep and her shadow created a wilted rose on the floor. The White Fang wasn't gone meaning her task wasn't finished and the fear she felt was very real and Weiss' losses only added to that, but so did her sense of justice.

They were in this fight together until the very end and when their eyes opened the black wilted rose turned red and scattered.

Rose petals blew past their heads and with shortness of breath they glanced toward the caped-girl still in her bed underneath the covers. At her heavily bandaged feet was Zwei who yawned infectiously causing the girls to do the same.

"That sounds like a really good idea." Blake said as both of their ears pinned back.

Weiss tried to stand but her wobbly legs sat her back down.

"Need a hand?" Yang chuckled but found herself also incapable of moving.

They glanced at Blake with pleading eyes but she shook her head being as frozen as they were. What little aura they had regained was now lost and it had been the only thing keeping their muscles from going limp. Now suddenly everything hurt twice as much and they really didn't want to sleep in chairs.

"On three?" They asked and together slowly nodded.

"One..."

"Two..."

Using each other for support and as crutches they groaned as they slowly stood on their feet with knees popping in unison.

They took a few steps and Blake was the first to be disposed into her bed as it was the closest but also furthest away from the faunus eating hell hound.

"Why are you so heavy!?" Yang and Weiss complained as they dragged their feet.

Luckily the room was small so after only a few agonizing steps Yang was able to shove the heiress onto her bed. All alone Yang made the final steps to her and Ruby's bed that could barely fit the two. She crawled in as gently as possible before wrapping her arms around her baby sister.

Zwei crawled between them with his squeaky toy still in his mouth and Weiss and Blake grinned as the blonde raise her fist.

"Goodnight team RWBY." They whispered.

Yang kissed the back of her sister's head and closed her eyes.

"Goodnight Rubes..."

_Night sis..._

* * *

**(A/N: I don't know if 'thank you' are strong enough words for the kindness you've shown me. There was a time when I was hesitant about submitting Chapter One, and now I find myself having those same uncertainties with Chapter Forty but for completely different reasons. I don't like saying goodbye but this is where Volume 2 took its bow and so I must as well. ****I'm sorry for leaving you guys hanging on so many plot points, I like it even less than you do but this is where "The Petals Scatter Now" comes to an end, but this is also where "The Patchwork Prodigy" begins. ****Chapter 40 was originally going to be less of an epilogue and have more focus on Penny and team RWBY but this had to be changed the more a sequel came to fruition. Because "The Patchwork Prodigy" will focus more on team RWBY and less on the supporting cast I needed to move their stories along first and I hope you don't mind.**

**It's been an amazing ride but not one without its moments of stress. Despite that though I wouldn't have traded it or you readers for anything. God has blessed me with all of you and this story, and I hope it has been a blessing to you as well and brought smiles to your faces.**

**I won't go deep into the characters as I hope my love for them speaks for itself. I was drawn into RWBY day one because of the "Red Trailer" and that's one reason why I've wanted to highlight Ruby, and also because I feel as though she completes her teammates. I hope I've treated them all with the respect they deserve and that you've enjoyed my interpretations of them.**

**I hope to share this one day with the creators of RWBY and it breaks my heart not being able to show it to Monty Oum. Thank you Monty for creating this show for me to fall in love with, and I hope I've treated your creations with honor and respect. I know I'll be meeting you one day and maybe you can teach me some of your dance moves.**

**A final goodbye and a final thank you to all the kind people who have supported myself and this story. God bless you.**

**All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has greatly blessed me and made this story possible. God bless)**


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